Killing Lauren
by FaithfulKitten
Summary: I know the title sounds like a bad ending for our beloved doctor but it's not. It was made unclear that Lauren has changed identities at least once. This is a continuation of the idea. The good doctor decides it's time to put Lauren to rest and start her life again without the burden of the Fae. But as she leaves a world she enters a new one with new rules and rulers.
1. Chapter 1

She wasn't sure when it all started. When the world had changed and she became less important. She knew that the world would always move on without her and that every human on the planet gave themselves more significance than was realistic. She hadn't thought she was one of them until she stared into the eyes of her girlfriend and realized in the grand scheme of things she didn't matter. Her entire life would be nothing more than a drop of water in a glass when it came to Bo's life. she was nothing but a chapter and a relatively small one at that.

Looking at the wolf in front of her she couldn't help but resent what he represented. He was Fae. His kind had trapped her. His kind had demeaned her existence. His kind had destroyed the life of the woman she loved. His kind had made her into a slave. She had so few reasons to want to save him. She had so few reasons to always put his kind first. Yet his kind was the reason she was here ready to sacrifice everything.

Mindlessly she went through the procedure of changing the very essence of Taft. She had done the impossible; she had discovered how to make Fae. She knew her experiments, her knowledge would put her in danger. The Fae had no desire to make humans better. They considered humanity to be below them. Humans were a source of food and entertainment. They were not equals nor could they ever become equals. She had just proven them wrong. Now with her knowledge, her procedure, humans could rise above, they could evolve. The problem was she didn't think forced evolution would be a good thing for humanity as a whole. Nor did she consider the impending war her experiments could bring about would be good for either side.

Finishing the procedure she released Taft and stared down at the body of her rival. Dyson, it was such a stupid name. She hated herself for feeling the need to compete with this man. She hated the fact that her girlfriend would always choose him before her. She had spent the last three years of her life trying to prove herself to this man and for what purpose? What had she gained from it besides a broken heart? He could give Bo everything she lacked. He could protect Bo. He could love Bo. And most importantly he could feed Bo. It was a constant sore that festered and ached in her relationship with Bo. It was bad enough that she knew she wasn't enough for Bo, it was worse always having her faults pointed out to her.

Releasing the restraints binding the wolf she stepped away and leaned against Taft's empty table. She waited patiently for the wolf to wake up. She doubted she wanted to hear his thoughts or his opinions on what she had done but she knew it would be worse to let him free without telling him the truth. So she waited and she tried to keep her mind from travelling to all the moments where she should have known better. Looking at Dyson always made her think of Bo. He was strangely a constant reminder of her. Theirs was a sick lovers triangle that would never have a healthy resolution.

She was sorry to admit but sharing Bo with strangers was hard enough. Every time she had watched Bo look at someone with lustful hunger her heart had broken a little. When she listened to Bo having sex with a strange woman her heart shattered. Worst was when she learned Bo had returned to Dyson. It might have just been 'one time' but it was the end of their relationship even if they both hadn't realized it yet.

She had tried to be forgiving. She had accepted that she wasn't enough and would never be enough for Bo. She had tried to accept the strangers that would be going into Bo's bed. She had tried so hard to accept and that was the problem. She had come to the realization that it was always her. She was always bending. She was always forgiving. She was always compromising. She had been a slave to the Light for six years and learned to wear subservience like a protective cloak. That was the problem in her relationship with Bo. She was subservient and in turn she was miserable. She supposed part of it was her fault. She had wanted Bo so badly she had been willing to be treated poorly. She had never objected. She had never reprimanded. She had stayed silent and she had endured.

Now looking at Dyson she knew she needed to leave. She needed to disappear and to start her life over once again. Laying a hand on her stomach she cursed the realities of her life. She cursed the circumstances that had brought her to this place and to this time. Yet the strange turn of events that landed her here starring at Dyson would also lead to her freedom. If she destroyed Taft, if she was able to destroy all the data backed up and on hard copy then she would be free. The world must not know about the Fae and in turn the Fae would forget about her. It was a acceptable exchange in the long run.

She hated the idea of leaving Bo. She hated the idea of permanently losing someone she loved so deeply but she knew it was for the best. Staying with Bo would bring nothing but pain and sorrow. It would destroyed what little chance she had left at happiness. Looking to the ceiling she wished she had been stronger, she wished that she was able to share Bo with Dyson and that Dyson would be able to share Bo with her. It would have made all of their lives so much better if they had been a little more open, a little more willing to compromise, a little more realistic on the difficulties of loving a succubus.

"Damn." Looking back at Dyson she saw his eyes flutter open and his hand reach towards his head. She supposed he would be feeling a slight headache for the sheer amount of drugs she had pumped into his body. "What the hell did you give me?" He asked but she didn't bother to go into the specifics of what she had in fact give him.

"Just a sedative." She lied easily. "You have to find Taft. I've made him into a Cabbit human hybrid." She didn't bother saying that Taft needed to be killed. She knew without a doubt that once Dyson caught up with Taft that it would all be over for the mad scientist. She pitied Taft.

"Why?" Dyson asked shaking his head in confusion.

"Do you really think I would have gone with that psychopath if I really had a choice?" She asked disappointed at how little he really thought of her. She had hoped that he had only been acting as he was screaming traitor at her. "I told Hale my suspicions about Taft and we struck a deal. I would help him put down Taft in exchange for my freedom. Once this is all over I am free and if there is any justice in the world I will never see another Fae again." She said holding back her tears.

"What about Bo?" Dyson asked unable to tell if the doctor was lying or not.

"Bo and I were over before we ever started." She said simply. "Now go find Taft and don't get yourself killed." She said before turning around and walking away.

"Are you ready?" Turning around she wasn't surprised to see the dark haired woman standing in the corner leaning against the wall casually.

"Is anyone ever really ready to die?" She asked knowing that she had 'died' on more than one occasion.

"Even those who are ready are never ready." The dark haired woman said with a slight smirk.

"I suppose you are right. I am not ready to leave this life even though I am ready. I have no choice really." She said starring at the dark haired woman.

"You always have a choice Lauren. You could stay with them. You could continue your work devoting your life to the Light. You could go back to Bo and try again knowing what you know now." The dark haired woman said softly, reasonably.

"Yes I could. I could accept my freedom and work for them but I would never really be free. I would be at risk and so would..." She stopped looking down at her stomach unable to continue. Taking at deep breath she looked up at the dark haired woman again. "I would never be equal and I would always be less." She said as if that answered everything and in a way it did.

"Then it is time for Lauren Lewis to die and Beatrice Eleanor Tasker returns to life." The dark haired woman said with a smile pointing at the body on a slab. "She's blonde, brown eyes, your height, and fine boned. She meets all of your requirements. All that is left is changing your file for hers." The dark haired woman said slipping a flash drive out of her pocket. I can hack into the Light Fae's computer system remotely and change everything. After that we blow this place up and make sure the body burns. Dental and DNA should be enough to identify her, you." With a smile the dark hair woman moved to a nearby computer and got to work. "Make sure the Fae are free. I've already taken care of the guards on the way in here."

Looking at the dark haired woman Lauren realized that everything would forever change. She was going to be reborn. She was now able to return to the life she had left so many years ago. It would be as if nothing had happened; ten years of her life would be wiped away with a few key strokes and a corpse. Shaking her head free of such thoughts she made her way to the containment area. She wasn't surprised to see the cells empty. She had suspected upon seeing Bo that the rest of the Fae would be freed. Turning to the lab she destroyed all the samples just for safty. The building was going to be burned down but she wanted to make sure there was no chance in hell any of the specimens could be used.

Returning to the dark haired woman Lauren watched as her life was being rewritten. "Any last words?" The dark haired woman asked with a slight smirk looking at the computer screen.

"Rest in peace Lauren Lewis." She said watching as the dark haired woman nodded and returned to typing away. "What is your name by the way?" She asked impressed that they had gone so long without a proper introduction.

"You don't need to know. All you need to know is that she sent me here to help you and to bring you to her once this is finished." The dark haired woman said without looking up. "And now it is finished. Come on let's blow this place up." She said picking up a bag Lauren hadn't noticed before.

Methodically the two went through the facility making sure the place was empty before placing C-4 chargers wrapped with alcohol gel based fuel as an accelerant. In less time than Lauren thought was possible they were standing outside watching the building burn. She hoped they hadn't missed any one and that all the Fae were free. The body of the Cabbit woman was distressing and part of her had wanted to pull it out before the building burned but her companion merely shook her head. It was clear that they didn't have time for such acts of sentimentality.

"Come on She's waiting for you." The dark haired woman said turning around and walking towards a black Toyota Camry. Nodding her head Lauren followed accepting the new path in life she had agreed to take. She was entering a whole new world.


	2. Chapter 2

**I suppose I should say belatedly that I don't own anything but I assume that was naturally implied.**

_Any hoo I don't really bother doing these on this particular site but I felt I owned an apology to Ltcon. I know I tried to continue with my other Buffy/Faith story but this one was plaguing me. I just couldn't focus so I figured I would just try to get this one out of my system. I am taking a Faith-like character into play for this story though the background is all my own personal development. Really you could think of this as a what if Faith was born in this world situation._

_Thank you for all of you who are following this story. I am glad I have come up with something that sounds interesting to all of you. That or you are all bored and need something to alleviate said boredom._

_Thanks to all of those who bothered to review. I know it is a tedious task and more often than not I forget to until I have finished a story. Either way this author truly appreciates it. So for the sake of ...ya'll here is another round._

"Welcome to your new home Ms. Tasker." Hearing those words said in such a low husky voice brought shivers up and down her spine. It was strange hearing that name again. It was stranger still hearing it coming from Faith's lips. So much had happened in so little time it made her pause every once in a while and wonder how it had all happened.

She had met Faith four months ago. It was right after Bo confessed to sleeping with Dyson in order to heal. Her mind had accepted the reality, but her heart could not. So after Bo had fallen asleep she had snuck out of the apartment and left the compound. Her walk had led her to a seedy bar in a area she had never noticed before. Without thought she had entered the bar and ordered a drink. Her heart was breaking and her mind was in turmoil over the recent events.

Sitting there nursing her drink she was surprised to see a beautiful woman with long dark hair sit next to her. She couldn't help the desire to look at the woman. Letting her eyes run up and down the woman's profile, she had to admit that the woman was gorgeous. The woman was encased in black leather, with deep chocolate eyes, and bee stung lips. The killing touch was the dimple that peaked out when she noticed Lauren and smiled.

They sat in relatively comfortable silence and it wasn't until the bartender placed a new scotch and soda in front of her that she looked back to the dark haired woman sitting next to her.

"I figured since you were concentrating so hard on your drink you could use another one." That dark husky voice sent shivers down her spine and the only thing she could think of was seeing the woman naked and spread out before her. It was such an intense random fantasy that she couldn't help but blush.

"Thank you. I'm Lauren by the way." She said unsure why she had accepted the drink or given her real name. Taking another sip of her drink she let it slide down her throat with a slight hum of appreciation. She knew she was already buzzed and that it would be wise to slow down. Yet the thought of Bo with Dyson kept popping back into her head. She wanted to wipe that picture out of her mind desperately.

"Do you want to talk about it Lauren?" The husky voice said breaking into her thoughts. "I'm Faith by the way." The woman said nonchalantly.

"I wish I could." She said taking another sip hoping for a bit of liquid courage.

"You can, there is no reason for you not to really. You're probably never going to see me again and it's clear you really need someone to talk to." Faith said softly taking a sip of her own drink.

"I suppose you are right in a way. I could really use someone to talk to and there is nothing more freeing than talking to someone you will never see again." She paused staring at her drink wondering where to start. "I'm in love with a woman who can never be faithful to me, at least not physically. I feel I will always ask and need more from her than she can ever give me." Pausing again she took another sip hoping to stop the tears before they rose to the surface. "I mean I just fucked the hell out of her in the vain hope of wiping away the memory of her ex boyfriend who she screwed this afternoon. I don't know if I can live with this kind of relationship. I don't know if I can stomach always having to share her with other people." Lauren stopped unable to keep the tears from slowly sliding out and down her cheeks.

Looking at the bartender Faith ordered Lauren another drink before turning her attention back. "I feel like I am missing something. Why are you sharing her? Why are you still with her if she is constantly cheating on you?" Faith asked reasonably, her voice free of emotion.

"It's her nature. She can't change. She can't be less than what she is and I can't be more than what I am. I will never be enough for her. I can't sustain her." She said wiping away at her tears and taking a deep swallow of her new drink.

"Is she a succubus?" The question was asked quietly, casually.

Looking up in disbelief Lauren stared at Faith in confusion. "How did you know?" She asked her words slurring a bit.

"It was just a guess really." Faith said with a sad smile.

Lauren couldn't tell if Faith was being serious or not. Shaking her head she opened her mouth, closed it and opened it again. "So what do I do? How do I accept her? I don't want her to change. I love her for who she is. I love her as she is. I can't ask her to change and there is no way for her to change. I've laid down some rules but I don't know if they will be enough. I don't know if I'll be able to watch or listen to her feeding off of others. I'm a doctor for crying out loud but I can't cure her of her hunger. I can't feed her enough to sustain her biological needs. So what do I do?"

"That's a question I can't answer. Your heart is the only guide you can follow in this situation. I could tell you to get out now and it would be a smart thing to say. The longer you are involved with this woman the more she will hurt you. She may not want to but she can't deny who she is anymore than you can deny who you are. You are human and your lifespan is limited. You don't want to spend the rest of your days feeling inadequate. You don't want to spend the rest of your life wondering and waiting for the day she leaves you for someone better. I can practically feel your doubts. But I won't tell you to leave, you will do so on your own terms and in your own time." Faith said as gently as possible.

"You're right I should leave but I know I won't. I'll keep trying to find a way to help her. I'll keep trying to find a way for us to be together." She paused taking another sip of her drink even though she knew she should stop and switch to water. "She loves me you know? She tries to take care of me. It's been so long since anyone has tried or even thought to try to take care of me. The Fae have only used me and hurt me but not her. She looks at me with such adoration it makes me heart skip a beat. She tries so hard to be enough for me and I love her more for it. I know we can make it work. I know we will keep at it regardless of how many bumps we hit and how many hurtles we have to jump over. I love her and that is enough. Isn't it?"

"For some it can be. I hope for your sake that it is for you. Come on let me take you home. It's clear you've had a bit too much to drink and I would hate for anything to happen to you out there." Faith said standing up and laying down money on the bar. Taking Lauren's arm she helped the blonde woman stand. "You live at the Light compound?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah how did you know?"

"Your necklace." Faith said with a sad smile. Draping Lauren's arm over her shoulder Faith led Lauren out the door and up towards the Light compound.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked finally becoming curious about the beautiful stranger.

"You reminded me of someone I cared about a long time ago." Faith replied moving slowly but surely towards Lauren's apartment.

"Can I see you again?" She asked turning to look at Faith.

"I thought the point of talking with strangers was never having to see them again." Faith smiled. "But if you really do want to see me again I'll gladly meet you at the bar. Here's my number." Faith said taking out a card and sliding it into Lauren's pants pocket.

Entering the compound Lauren wondered where the guards had gone. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she pointed Faith in the direction of her apartment. She was amazed that she had drank so much in so little time. She knew without a doubt that she would not have made it home by herself at this point.

"Can you take it from here or should I put you to bed?" Faith asked suggestively.

Lauren blushed as the idea of welcoming this woman into her bed entered her mind. There was something so innately sexual about Faith. She didn't ooze sex as a succubus would but it was definitely there in the sound of her voice and the warm look in her eye. "No I don't think my girlfriend would appreciate a stranger walking me into bed."

Smiling Faith left Lauren at the door of her apartment and walked out of the building. Lauren watched her go and sighed in mild relief. She knew Faith was trouble, the woman was a walking temptation and if she had any sense she would burn the card in her front pocket. As silently as possible she made her way into the apartment and back to Bo. As she had hoped the succubus was sleeping heavily completely unaware of Lauren's night walk.

Sliding back into bed Lauren wrapped herself around Bo and breathed deep. She hoped everything would be alright with them but a niggling fear in the back of her mind told her nothing would be the same after tonight.

Stepping out of her memories Lauren looked at Faith. "It will take me a while to get used to that name again." She said smiling.

"Well I have to admit I do have a liking for Lauren and it will take me a while to remember to call you Beatrice." Faith said standing up and moving towards Lauren. The two women embraced like friends and moved towards the couch.

"I never particularly liked Beatrice. It's one of the reasons I choose Karen Beattie. I wanted something a little less formal, a little less Shakespearean." She said trying to think of herself as Beatrice again.

"I can understand that, though if you are going to be named after any Shakespearean female character than she is the one to choose. " Faith said lost in thought for a moment.

"I guess so, are you a fan of Shakespeare?" Lauren asked marveling again at how little she knew about the woman in front of her. The woman who was helping her to start a new life. The woman who was willing to save her from the Fae.

"I like the writing over all. I've seen most of the plays and I can tell you I met the real man behind the words and the name. He was inspired and inspirational. I also met the woman who inspired Beatrice for him. She was so alive, so full of fire." Faith said again her gaze going to the distance as if thinking of that long gone woman.

"I think there is a story there." Lauren said with a smile.

"Oh I have plenty of stories. I have lived several lifetimes. I have seen more than any one person ever should." Faith said with a sad smile. "But that is not the point and those stories are for a different time. This is your first day here and I would like to show you the house." Faith said standing up and beginning the grand tour. "This is one of several estates I acquired over the years. A portion of the family lives here with us. They will leave you be if you would like. I know most are rather curious about you but I promise not to let them overwhelm you. Each of the house have members of the family and they in turn control the district that they live in. We have very strict rules for our kind but there are exemptions as with every rule and with every race I suppose. You will have as long as you need to get accustomed to our ways and any questions you have I will gladly answer." Faith said walking them out of the blue sitting room and to the parlor. The tour was filled with minimal conversation beyond giving the names of the room and their general purpose. "We don't use the formal dining room except for events and dinner parties. I shall expect you to attend the dinner parties as often as possible. I like the members of my family to become as acquainted with our connections. We rely on them and they on us for a portion of their financial support. The library has a variety of books which I am sure you will enjoy, some of which you will find in no other library in the world." Faith said with a smile glad that Lauren's mind was like a sponge and she was able to jump around in topics. "I've turned the conservatory into a laboratory for your personal use. I only got the basics since I'm not a scientist. You are free to make a list of what you will need for your experiments and I have provide it for you." Faith said moving towards the newly constructed laboratory. They had kept the basic structure of the conservatory which allowed a lot of light into the building.

Smiling Lauren walked into the lab and had only one thought; 'amazing'. She wasn't sure what she had done to deserve so much from Faith. The agreement that they had made had not translated into her mind in this manner. She had felt the protection she would gain from Faith would be more than enough. She had never expected Faith to go out of her way to make her happy. Turning towards Faith she smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. This is nothing. I know you are a scientist at heart. I just want you to be happy and I know your research will make you happy." Faith said returning Lauren's smile. "No come let me show you your room. It is temporary until the ceremony. After that you will be moved to your permanent quarters." Faith said turning around knowing Lauren would follow.

"When is the ceremony?" Lauren asked with a bit of trepidation.

"The first ceremony will be in four weeks. The second welcoming you into our family, making you one of us will be held five months from now give or take a week." Faith replied looking at Lauren to judge her reaction.

"I see." Lauren said unsure of what to say. Her life was changing and she knew she only had four weeks to change her mind, to walk away.

"I will not force you to go through the ceremony Beatrice. The choice has to be yours. I will not take you otherwise." Faith said softly placing a hand gently under Lauren's cheek pulling her face up. Staring into Lauren's eyes Faith continued. "I will help you regardless of whether or not we go through the ceremony."

"I know and that is why I would like to." Lauren said finally letting a small smile peak out.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Still don't own anything (How sad)_

**A/N: Well since I've started with giving a note I might as well continue though I doubt many people bother to read this. But for those of you who do I'd like to give a thank you to the people who reviewed. I'm already going to warn all of you not to expect me to keep this pace going. I happen to be out of town for work and have a bit more free time than usual. This story is also plaguing my brain and I've spent a rather impressive amount of time sitting at my laptop because of it. **

**I warn some that I am a bit tedious when it comes to science. I like being as accurate as possible so that can lead to a couple of boring parts. That just comes from watching so many shows and feeling a desire to write them a slew of corrections. It also happens in books when authors don't bother to research a topic they are writing about. I love people who describe death and what a body feels like when it is obvious they have never been near one or touched one. Any ways random rant to explain my scientific lingo in this chapter. **

**I know I am moving slowly with this story but as anyone who has read my work before I tend to get hung up on the details. Any thoughts and opinions I always enjoy hearing. I will admit (shamefully) that reviews do help. Feel free to feed my ego.**

Starring at the ceiling of her darkened room Lauren wished for a distraction. Her mind was left going over the events of the day wondering what was happening in a world she no longer belonged to. If she was honest with herself she couldn't help but think she had never belonged there. The Fae were different. They had a superiority complex that blew her mind. They were an evolutionary branch but it did not make them superior to humanity or inferior. They needed humanity but instead of appreciating humans they treated them more often than not as chattel.

She knew humans were no better. One race would always think they were superior. One class would always claim supremacy. There was an innate need in any humanoid genus to declare superiority to another genus. Humans to Fae reminded her on occasion of Lions and Gazelles. The lions might have a level of superiority in strength and size but they lacked speed. Gazelles had herds that ranged in the thousands allowing them to limit the members of the herd that were lost to the old and the sick. They used the lions in essence to weed out the burdens to the herd. The Fae also had many of the disadvantages that lions have. They are limited in their breeding capabilities due to centuries of inbreeding. More Fae children died than survived to maturity. In the six years she had been a slave to the Light she had only delivered twenty children, of which two died not long after delivery. The Dawning did not help either. Overall as a genus she was surprised the Fae were still alive. She would be even more surprised if they survived as a genus through the next millennia.

Her work with the Fae however had opened her eyes to two worlds that lived side by side with humanity. One she found worked within humanity and more often than not: with humanity. The other considered humanity as a tool and a food source. She was surprised by the differences in the two sub cultures. They didn't follow with the preconceived notions perpetrated about them.

Shaking her head she marveled at how much her view of the world had expanded in a relatively short period of time. Scientist all over the world would give up their right kidney, left lung, and first born children for what she had learned in a mere six years. The fact that her knowledge base was only expanding would make anyone in the scientific world jealous. The sad part was that she had, had to give up six years of her life for the knowledge she had attained. The worst part was that it was knowledge she would never be able to share with the world at large. She knew after looking at Taft that it would be better for all three genus that her knowledge not be shared with humanity. Humans weren't ready to learn about the Fae or anyone else for that matter. It was a sad fact but ignorance in this case was bliss.

Wishing her mind would settle down and sleep would over take her Lauren couldn't help but think of Bo. Her heart ached thinking of the woman she loved so dearly but could never be with. She hated the fact that she couldn't be enough for Bo. What she had most though was how their relationship had devolved so disastrously. Thinking back she wished she had listened to Faith. She wished she had cut her loses before she had invested so much. If she had left that night with Faith would everything have gone the way it had? Would she still be here with Faith? Would she be free of the Fae? Would Dyson have gotten back with Bo? Would her heart be broken?

Part of her wished she had met Faith years ago. Wished that she had never met Bo had never gotten involved sexually let alone emotionally. Instead she had made a series of choices she wasn't sure of. If she had stayed home and lived the quiet life her family wished for her would she have ended up in the same place? She didn't know and that lack of knowing plagued her in the dark hours of the night when sleep eluded her.

She was an accident but a welcome one or so her parents always said. Her parents had assumed that after having only one daughter and failing to conceive another that they were meant to have only one child. So they took no measures of protection when they went off to England to celebrate their twentieth anniversary. Nine months later they were surprised with a little girl nearly seventeen years younger than their first. She barely remembered her sister since Dana died when she was only three years old giving birth to her first child; Caleb. She grew up with Caleb and treated him more as a younger brother than the nephew he actually was.

In their understandable grief her parents had kept her sheltered. Hoping against all odds to protect the two children they now had. A grandson raised as a son and a daughter who reminded them all too keenly of a daughter they had lost. She never had a bad word to say against her parents and if it wasn't for them she never would have become Karen Beattie or Lauren Lewis. Her father's job and connections gave her the ability to follow her dreams, her career without ever endangering her family. Because the most important lesson she ever learned from her father was; names have meaning, even made up names. There is an infinite power in the use of a name. Unlike her father she never kept the same first name. Instead she had walked through lives using made up names in order to keep herself and others safe; all in the name of science.

When Taft had brought her a file of Karen Beattie she had known the man was trouble. The file still existed in Interpol's data base but Karen Beattie was dead. Dental records had been used to identify the body after a tragic air strike in southern Afghanistan. The man clearly didn't have the full details but what he did have made him dangerous. That was when she had decided to look deeper into his background. What she found was surprisingly little which made her even more suspicious. His constant interest in her was what finally made her turn to Hale for help. She knew that he was digging to deeply into the Lauren Lewis profile and he would only be doing that if he wanted something to do with the Fae. She was glad he was dead considering the many innocent Fae he had experimented on, tortured, and farmed. Unfortunately Taft was her greatest fear when it came to the Fae and he was like many humans in their probable view of the Fae.

Getting up she decided there was no point in trying to sleep when her mind was so active. Picking up her robe she wrapped it around her body and stepped out of the room. She had a vague grasp of the layout of the building. She wasn't exactly sure what to call it, for it was hardly a typical home. It reminded her vaguely of the compound without the sterility and coldness. It was clear someone had decorated with the intent of giving a homey look while attempting to maintain an aristocratic view. It was clear the house was a product of money, old money that earned more in interest than most people made in a lifetime.

Walking down one of the halls she wandered down to her new lab. It was the only path she really tried to remember. Stepping into the lab she turned on the lights and looked around. She hadn't wanted to oh and aw in front of Faith but now she had the privacy to marvel at everything Faith had done.

She had a fully functioning lab with a medical lab as a bonus. Looking over the machines she spotted an ultrasound machine, a section of the lab was walled off with a MRI and a CT machine installed. The lab proper had all the necessary equipment ranging from beakers to petri dishes and electron microscopes. Sighing in joy she looked back at the ultrasound machine. She had avoided using one at the compound or even doing anything beyond the basic tests. She didn't want to leave a trace for the Fae to find. She didn't want anyone to know the truth about why she had left.

Releasing a sigh she decided it was time to find out the truth. She had been avoiding it since she didn't know what she wanted to do. She didn't want to know how it happened being happy in the bubble of knowing it had happened. Now she had the means to find out the truth and like a band aid she knew it was better just to get it over with. Moving to a cabinet she removed a syringe and three small blood vials. Grabbing a tourniquet she tied off her arm and prepped the area.

"Do you want a hand?"

Releasing a slight scream Lauren turned around to see Faith smiling at her.

"Do you know what you are doing?" She asked unsure what medical knowledge Faith actually had.

"Trust me in the world of blood our kind has a very firm grasp on what we are doing." Faith said showing off the dimples.

"That is hardly comforting." She said shaking her head.

Without a word Faith walked to the sink, washed her hands and grabbed a set of gloves. Taking a seat next to Lauren she tapped lightly to get the vein to rise to the surface. Grabbing the syringe she inserted it gently into the vein and filled the three vials. "Are you finally going to learn the truth?" Faith asked nonchalantly.

"Now that I can I think I would like to. I suppose I could go my entire life without looking but I know I would always wonder. I would always be curious about how it happened. The few books I have read are rather vague on the topic but it's understandable considering most Fae are rather secretive. None of the species wish to divulge their abilities, strengths, or weaknesses. Everything that is written comes from observation and that isn't always accurate." She said removing the tourniquet and rolling down the sleeve of the robe.

"Will you tell me when you find out?" Faith asked.

"Do you really want to know? Will it change things?" She asked suddenly feeling unsure.

"No matter the results I've already accepted it. You will become a member of our clan and your child will have all the protection of my people. I have made this known to you time and again. I would hope that by now after everything that you would not doubt my word." Faith said seriously.

"I'm sorry if I still feel doubt over this entire situation. I was tricked into slavery and I can't help but worry that I am falling for it again." Lauren said unable to stop the sudden rush of emotion that choked her.

"We don't own you, no one owns you." Faith said vehemently. "If you ever decide to walk away I will not stop you." She finished unsure of what else to say, what else to do to prove her word was her bond.

"I'm sorry I know that. I know you wouldn't." Lauren said moving towards Faith and wrapping her arms around her in a fierce hug. "Can you blame this all on a really stressful couple of days?" She said feeling the tension slowly seep out of Faith's shoulders.

"Yes I can." Faith said softly. "Beatrice I...I think you should get some sleep. You've been up for more than sixteen hours and I know today was a hard day. Come on lets store the samples and I'll walk you to your room."

"I've tried and there is no point in it. I can't shut my mind off. I keep bouncing from one thought to another and sleep just keeps eluding me. I left so much behind Faith and I am still unsure how I feel about any of it."

"Are you regretting leaving?" Faith asked sitting back down.

"No." Lauren said sternly. "No I know it was the right thing to do. The Fae are too restrictive when it comes to humans. We are slaves and chattel. I will not raise this child to be a slave to the Fae." She said placing a hand on her abdomen.

"You could have easily aborted it." Faith said casually her voice devoid of emotion.

"You know I couldn't. I've always wanted children. I've always wanted the house, the fence, the kids and the wife. I've wanted a taste of normality ever since I walked away from it." She said with a self deprecating chuckle.

"Yet you keep choosing people who aren't normal, who will never fit the mold." Faith said with a sad smile.

"Normal doesn't really exist, average does, but who really wants to be average?" She said giving Faith a real smile.

"You never could be." Faith said letting the silence engulf them.

Lauren picked up the blood samples deciding she wouldn't be able to delay finding out the truth. She wanted to know how she became pregnant and the paternity of her child. Now that the thought was in her head she knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep until she had done the test. Stopping she turned to Faith. "Do you think you could go to my room and get my laptop? I have all my files from the compound there and I will need it to do a D.N.A comparison."

"I'm guessing you will be working instead of sleeping." Releasing a sigh Faith shook her head and got up heading wordlessly to Lauren's chambers.

Taking off the robe she found a closet and hung it up, taking out a lab coat. It felt comforting to put on a lab coat and Lauren nearly signed in pleasure of something so familiar. Walking towards the storage area she took out the materials she would need; a test tube rack, test tubes, an ice bath, de- ionized distilled water, pipettes, micro pipettes, a bleach solution for sanitation, and a couple of beakers.

Putting on a set of gloves she took out the chemicals necessary to make the two necessary buffers. Buffer A required: 0.32 Sucrose, 10mM Tris HCL, 5mM MgCl2, and 0.72% Triton-X-100. Buffer B required: 20M Tris-HCl, 4M Na EDTA, and 100M NaCl. Making each separate buffer she labeled them and set them aside. Labeling three test tubes A,B, and C she placed 1 ml of buffer A into each tube, 1ml of each vial of blood, and 2ml of the distilled water. Gently agitating each test tube she placed them into her ice bath for two minutes.

Removing the test tubes and placing them into the centrifuge she failed to see Faith sitting there quietly watching. Fifteen minutes later she removed the test tubes and removed the supernatant discarding it into the bleach solution. Re-suspending the solution in 6ml of distilled water and 2ml of buffer A placing it again in the centrifuge for 15 minutes. Taking out the three vials she added 5ml of buffer B and 500 µl of 10% SDS, agitating the solution for a minute. Placing them into the ice bath she set her watch timer for two hours.

"Are you close to done?" Faith asked startling Lauren.

Turning around with her hand clasped to her chest Lauren stared at Faith amazed at how quiet the woman had been. "About half way done with the extraction. This needs to sit in a bath for a couple of hours."

"I see, well do you need to be in here while it sits?" Faith asked curiously.

"No not really. I was thinking of setting up my laptop." Lauren started but stopped when she noticed Faith pointing to the computers. There was her laptop, plugged in, turned on and waiting. Smiling at Faith she shook her head. "My laptop can wait. Were you thinking of doing something?" She asked uncertain of where the line of questioning was leading.

"Yes I figured since you are awake and clearly have no intention of going to bed anytime soon we might take a walk through the gardens." Faith said extending her arm in clear invitation.

Hesitating for a moment Lauren nodded. She liked the outdoors well enough she just didn't' consider walking through a dark garden a good way to do anything except break a bone. Accepting Faith's extended arm she let Faith walk her out of the lab and straight into the night. Faith slid her arm around Lauren's waist using slight pressure to guide her to the garden. Letting her eyes adjust Lauren had to admit the darkness wasn't as dense as she had expected. The moon was shining brightly giving an eerie glow to the land.

Silently they walked to the center of the garden to a ring of benches. Lauren was grateful the night wasn't cold considering her attire of pajama pants and shirt. The material was rather thin and she felt the cold of the stone as she sat down. Looking up at the sky she could see the stars further away from the moon peaking out.

"It's beautiful." She said feeling the need to break the silence.

"I will show you it to you in the day. The flowers are still in high bloom. We have a greenhouse on the property if you would like to see some of the more exotic varieties." Faith answered looking at Lauren.

"I think I would like that." Lauren responded even though she only had a minimal interest in agriculture and horticulture. "Who tends the gardens?"

"Anyone with interest really, though Michael considers it his child. He has landscaped the entire property. Every once in a while he gets bored with the look of the estate and tears everything apart and starts over. He also takes care of the green house. He's something of a botanist, a passion that has kept him rather grounded over the years all things considered. He took it up in the 1800's as a way of coping with the death of his wife Elena. She was beautiful, sweet, and human. He went a little mad and I was forced to take his children away from him. He had always had a passing interest in botany so we used it as a form of therapy." Faith said looking out to the green house.

"Why didn't he change her?" Lauren asked hoping to expand her knowledge of her knew family.

"He couldn't and even if he could she would never have wanted it. Elena was very religious and her love allowed her to accept Michael but the thought of living beyond her time was a foreign devilish concept. She accepted death as a natural part of life. A lot of people don't understand the necessity of death or they fear it since they don't know what comes after death. It's easier to cling to life than accept the unknown." Faith said wistfully.

"Did Michael ever marry again? What happened to his daughters?" Lauren asked curiously.

"Yes and he is still married to her today. They live here together, her name is Ariel and I will introduce you to her tomorrow. As for Michael's daughters I raised them, well as much as they needed raising considering they were all teen and preteen. I did my best by them and made sure they had every choice in life. I didn't want them to marry as early as they all did but I wasn't willing to restrict them in their choices of spouses. I kept a close eye on them and on their children, and their children's children. We keep a very thorough family tree for every member of our family."

"I suppose that is a good idea so you don't accidently sleep with a niece or nephew." Lauren said with a slight laugh.

"It serves it's purposes. We like to keep track of our family. We may not always like them but we help them, we protect them, and when possible we guide them along. Though I will point out that all the members of my clan are not direct members of my family. Michael isn't a blood relative, neither is Allen, Keegan, or Olivia. Most members of our clan are not blood relatives. Some came with me when I emigrated while others I have welcomed over the years for a variety of reasons." Faith said standing up and reaching down for Lauren's hand. "Let walk a little before returning to your lab."

Without thought Lauren accepted the proffered hand and let Faith drape her arm around her waist. She liked talking to Faith. She didn't know if it was just Faith or part of Faith's powers; the ability to put people at ease. She always felt at ease with Faith, as if they could talk about anything and everything. For the insatiably curious Faith was a treasure trove of information when she felt like talking. Strolling through the garden Lauren allowed her mind to wander as her head leaned against Faith's shoulder.

She wasn't in love with Faith per say but she knew she could fall in love with Faith. There was so much about the woman that reminded her of Bo, they shared many of the same attributes that attracted her to Bo. However, there was a marked difference, Faith was content with who she was and what she was. It was clear in her every action and speech that the woman had years to understand and love herself. It was also clear from her behavior not only towards Lauren but in her interactions with her 'family' that she was a natural caregiver. She worried and loved those around her with a clear goal of providing a safe environment. She could see Bo becoming a lot like Faith if she lived long enough. The thought was a little heart wrenching but she swallowed her tears and shifted her thoughts to something a little happier.

"You don't have to hold them back for my sake you know?" Faith said into the darkness as if she was addressing the night.

"I know but I don't think I will be able to stop them once they start." Lauren said wiping away a stray tear.

"It is part of grieving. Eventually you will need to let yourself mourn the loss of Lauren and all she represented. I will not think less of you if you cry Beatrice." Faith continued looking out into the night.

"Thank you Faith." Lauren said softly letting the tears stream down her face.

Silently Faith guided them to another set of benches near the rose garden and sat down. Lauren wrapped her arms around Faith and let the tears flow. She grieved for losing Bo. She grieved for losing the place she had called home for so many years. She grieved for the life she had lost even though it wasn't one she fully wanted.

Once the tears had stopped and the sobs had ceased Lauren uncoiled herself from Faith's body and wiped her eyes. Standing up she sniffled a bit before offering her hand to Faith. She needed to return to the lab and at the moment she felt a little emotionally raw. Unwilling to speak she let Faith guide her back through the garden and into the lab. Nodding her thanks to Faith she moved back to her test tubes and the cold comfort of science.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Really don't own anything._

**AN: Well lets begin this little monologue with; I warned you all it would be a while before I was able to update. See I don't lie. Sadly work as usual got in the way along with life and family. Damn reality to hell. **

**Next I say thanks to those of you who reviewed. I'm stuck on the thought of should I be replying personally to each review or will a general thank you work? It's an odd question I know but I am stuck on the etiquette when it comes to this website. I would be happy to respond to each individual one though.**

**Next again, I hope you all like where this is going. There will be several flashbacks to each time Faith and Lauren met. I figure its a decent enough way for you to get to know Faith before getting to know Faith. The question (other question) I would like to pose is would it be easier if I put the flashback in italics or just leave it like it is?**

**Last but not least I ask you all to continue feeding my ego by reviewing. I know it's hard but I do appreciate it. I suppose it's the best encouragement considering there is no pay day at the end of finishing this story. **

**So thank you all for reading and thanks again to all who took the time to review. Here is another round for ya. **

Entering the lab in the early morning Faith wasn't surprised to see Lauren sitting at her laptop. Walking up to the woman she laid her hand gently on the blondes shoulder. "You really need to go to bed Beatrice." She said simply.

"I know, I just needed to compare the results to my database." Lauren said despondently.

"And what are the results?" Faith asked curiously.

Turning around Lauren wrapped her arms around Faith's waist and buried her head into Faith's abdomen sobbing. Startled Faith wrapped her arms around Laurens body doing her best to offer comfort regardless of her confusion. Not bothering to ask again about the results Faith stood there waiting for Lauren to cry herself out. She knew the woman was exhausted and whatever she had learned was clearly distressing. Shifting Lauren's arms from her waist Faith kneeled down and picked Lauren up. Sniveling lightly Lauren wrapped her arms around Faith's neck, not bothering to object at being carried like an infant.

Leaving the lab Faith carried Lauren upstairs and into the woman's bedroom. Pulling back the covers Faith sat Lauren down and removed her lab coat and slippers. Helping Lauren lay down Faith shifted to the other side of the bed and slid in pulling Lauren's body close. Wrapping her body around Lauren's, Faith held her close humming softly while caressing the woman's abdomen.

Turning Lauren snuggled into Faith's body and closed her eyes. She was tired, emotionally distraught, and physically drained. Her whole world had gone up in flames as she compared her sample to all the separate DNA samples she had from the Light compound.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Faith whispered softly into Lauren's hair.

"I don't know what I am going to do." Lauren mumbled.

Uncertain of what to say since she didn't know the actual results of the test Faith just rubbed Lauren's back. "How can I keep this baby?" Lauren asked sounding so young, so lost.

"That is a choice only you can make Beatrice. I will accept your child regardless of its parentage. The child is a part of you so it is a part of this family." Faith said gently trying to keep her voice neutral on the topic.

"It's not hers." Lauren whispered sadly.

Faith immediately knew who Lauren was talking about; the child was not fathered by the succubus. Controlling her body Faith slowly released a sigh of relief. Her mind had been in turmoil over the paternity of the child. A hybrid human succubus could be dangerous or she assumed. She knew Incubus human hybrids tended to be fatal for the mothers. She hated the idea of encouraging Lauren to abort her child but she hated the idea of losing Lauren even more. As it was Faith wasn't sure the child would live to term considering Lauren's own genetic makeup. The child could survive if it was a mix of human and Fae but it would not survive otherwise.

"So who is the 'father'?" Faith asked gently trying not to further upset Lauren.

"It's His" Lauren said simply as if that explained everything.

It took Faith a moment to understand those two simple words and longer still to go through all the 'His' Lauren knew. There was only one that came to mind and that was the wolf. It was a blow. She now understood why Lauren was in such misery. The idea of carrying Dyson's child must have been just short of insupportable. Faith wasn't sure how it happened but she had a good idea considering how far along Lauren actually was.

"Sleep Beatrice, you are tired and talking about this now will do nothing but get you more upset. Rest we can talk about all of it when you get up." Faith said rubbing gentle circles on Lauren's back.

"Will you stay?" Lauren asked softly.

"Always." Faith said unable to hide the double meaning of her words. Humming softly to Lauren, Faith listened as her companion's breathing patterned changed. Faith's mind wander to all the things she still needed to talk about with Lauren. There were so many hard truths she had to reveal, most of which she didn't know how to reveal gently. She didn't want to scare Lauren away.

Thinking back to their second encounter Faith smiled. She didn't think Lauren would come back to her. She didn't think the woman would have the courage to contact a stranger she had met briefly in a strange bar, in a strange part of town. She was wrong on all counts. They had connected in a way Faith had not expected. She had been searching for Beatrice Tasker for nearly ten years and finding her among the Fae had been a obstacle she hadn't been prepared to get around. However, fate or luck had been on her side. She did not need to go through political channels to meet Lauren, she merely had to go to a seedy bar in the middle of the night. It was serendipitous with a bit of stalking.

She had been surprised by the request to meet at the same bar not even a week later. Lauren had been distraught and it didn't take Faith long to deduce the reason. They had met late that night...

Lauren sat at the bar wondering what had compelled her to call on a complete stranger for someone to talk to . The reason came to mind rather quickly; because she didn't have any friends. Lauren Lewis was all alone. She had no real friends and no family. She was a identity that had only existed for the past five and a half years. She was nothing more than a figment of the imagination and worse she was a slave. Slaves didn't have the privilege of friendship. Slaves were meant to serve and for the last five she had served dutifully. Yet the collar of slavery was beginning to wear her down. Since she had met Bo the collar had begun to itch and to chafe. Once upon a time it was more of a mantle, something she wore for the sake of knowledge and for love. Now her love was dead and her mantle was a sharp edged choker.

"I'm surprised you called." Faith said taking a seat and motioning for the bartender.

"I'm a little surprised that I did as well." Lauren confessed amazed at how easy it was to be honest with Faith.

"So what's on your mind?" Faith asked smiling at the bartender when he placed a drink in front of her.

Lauren wondered how often Faith frequented the bar if the bartender knew what to get her without being asked. Shaking that thought away she looked at Faith and marveled a little at how beautiful the woman actually was. Lauren was not the type to cheat but moments like this made her look at Faith in a less than platonic light. "I just needed someone to talk to."

"And you thought of me?" Faith asked curiously.

"Honestly there is no one else besides you that I could talk to."

"What about your succubus?" Faith asked before taking a sip.

"Since she is the one I'm having a problem with it isn't as easy to talk to her." Lauren said taking a sip of her own scotch.

"I'm missing a little too much of the back story to understand the tangent you are going on about." Faith said giving Lauren a dimpled smile.

"Well on the topic of you being the only one I could talk to I'm telling the truth. The only person I even spoke or considered a friend is dead. I don't have any other friends besides her. Bo isn't my friend per say. I love her very deeply but we hardly ever talk about anything beyond surface thoughts. I've known her for two years and I've never spoken to her about my family, or my past. I've never even spoke about my favorite color, food, book, or anything of the sort. Honestly I've always been more curious about her than she has been about me. I suppose that is also because the few questions she has asked about I've had to lie. Well I didn't have to lie, I chose to lie to protect myself." Lauren paused unsure of how much she wanted to reveal. Taking another sip to fortify her courage she continued. "I feel like a broken record. Last week I was complaining about sharing Bo and this week it's the same topic. I wonder sometimes if it will always be the same topic."

"I figured." Faith said pausing to think of what she wanted to say next. "I'm guessing you've implemented the practice of sharing her with others." Faith said knowing there was no point in asking.

"You make it sound so business like and I wish I could view it as such. I tried to view it scientifically and I would like to think I made a good show of it but it's been killing me. I had to listen to my girlfriend fuck another woman who looked so much like me." Lauren said surprised at her own use of vulgarity. "I walked in while they fucked and the image is permanently ingrained into my brain. I look at Bo and the only thing I can see is that other woman. The only thing I can think of is that I will never be enough. I can picture years of watching and listening and thinking of all the people she will fuck while I wait at home and it kills me." She said wiping away a stray tear. "But then she looks at me with such love and I break. I think of leaving of breaking things off now but I can't. I know she loves me and I love her so much. I have risked so much to be with her and the idea of leaving hurts more than the idea of staying." She paused again taking another sip enjoying the slow burn of scotch. "And then Kenzi tells me that Dyson has his love back and I think 'did she know that?' 'does she know that?' 'Did she sleep with him because he has his love back?' 'Is she going to leave me for him now?' I just feel so lost Faith." She says putting her head down to hide the tears that won't stop coming.

Staring at Lauren, Faith is at a loss for words. Reaching out she lays a reassuring hand on Lauren's back wishing she could make the situation better. She knows she can't. She knows the only way things will get better is when Lauren realizes that she doesn't have a real future with the succubus. "Lauren you know I won't give you advice on this topic. You already know what I think and I already know what you are going to do. You will give everything you have to this woman and she will break your heart. I hate watching you hurt like this." Faith said with complete honesty.

"Why? Why do you care about me? Why did you come here tonight? Why did you help me last time?" Lauren asked confused by the kindness being shown to her.

"I listened the first time because it was clear you needed someone to listen to you. I took you home because it was clear you needed someone to take care of you. I came tonight because it is clear you need someone in your life who is on your side. I know what the Fae are like. I know how they treat humans and it is disgusting." She said hoping she hadn't revealed too much.

Lauren stared at Faith feeling a touch of shock. It had been so long since someone cared for her and not for what she could do. She barely knew the woman in front of her but her gut, the thing she trusted the least, trusted the woman in front of her. She didn't know if that was a good thing but her gut had yet to lead her in the wrong direction where as her heart had twice with dire consequences. Nodding her head she apologized. "I'm sorry for how that came out."

"Don't be sorry, there is nothing for you to apologize for, you have every right to question my motives all things considered." Faith said hoping she didn't have to expound on the reasons.

Nodding her head Lauren stared at her drink. She didn't want it anymore. She didn't want to be sitting in this dingy bar anymore. Taking out her wallet she paid the bartender and stood up. Looking at Faith she considered what else to say. "Walk with me?" She asked hoping the brunette would agree.

"Of course." Faith said leaving a twenty on the table and standing up to follow.

They walked in silence towards the compound veering off towards a park at the last minute. Lauren had seen it on a variety of excursions outside of the compound but had never taken the time to visit. It was small and quaint with an air of relaxed maintenance.

"You know sometimes I wonder how all of this happened?" Lauren asked hypothetically. "One day I was walking along the street, the next I met a beautiful woman, and the next I was off to the Congo. It all happened so fast, or at least it feels like it happened so fast. I walked away from one life because I had screwed everything up and then I was in another life where everything was screwed up for me." Lauren said moving along the parks pathway with Faith walking silently by her. "They cursed her you know? I had won a grant to research a virus attacking a remote part of Africa. I thought it was the best way to stay under the radar. Instead it landed me among the Fae. I found a cure and they cursed my girlfriend. She had foolishly fallen in love with me and decided flying half way across the world was a good thing. I was too much in love with her to say she should stay home. We were too new into our relationship to even think clearly. So one night I walk into our hut and she's asleep, looking so soft, so angelic. The next day she doesn't wake up, or the next, or the next. I let her follow me into the depths of Africa and she ended up in a coma. Well that's what I thought it was. Without thinking of the consequences I pledged my life to the Fae, to the Ash in exchange for the resources necessary to heal my girlfriend. It took five years before she woke up, five years of servitude only to find out she wasn't sick but cursed. I would have spent my entire life searching for a cure and never finding it. They trapped me not once but twice." Lauren said walking almost blindly lost in the past. "Bo found the cursing nail, she found out a way to un-curse Nadia, and the only thing I did was stupidly pledge myself to the new Ash. I've been such a fool."

"Is that when you fell in love with Bo?" Faith asked breaking the silence that had enveloped them.

"No, I fell in love with her long before she found the cursing nail. I think I fell in love with her the first time I met her. She was so beautiful. I don't know if it was love per say really, maybe it would be better to call it lust. I fell in lust with her and before I knew it I had fallen in love. She was always so noble, so giving, and she never looked at me like they look at me." Lauren said smiling at the memory.

"So what happened?" Faith asked hoping the question was vague enough to let Lauren reveal whatever she wanted.

"I tried to keep her safe and ended up breaking her trust."

"How so?" Faith asked wondering at the randomness of the sentence.

"Bo is a very driven person and her parentage has been something of a quest for her since she found out she is Fae. She found a Fae who knew about her mother but the Fae in question was on death row. So that led her to another Fae, a very powerful Dark Mesmer. The Ash told me to keep Bo occupied, not only for the sake of the Fae, but also for Bo's sake." Lauren paused knowing she was leaving too much out for the conversation to make sense. "Anyways the short and long of it is that I was supposed to stop Bo from visiting the Mesmer. I had intended to talk her out of it, or drug her, instead I ended up sleeping with her. Suffice it to say letting my hormones guide me led to Bo being incredibly angry with me and unable to trust me. I hadn't meant to sleep with her and I certainly didn't want to lie to her. Overall it's the only thing we seem to do really; we lie to each other." Lauren said thinking on all the conversations she had, had with Bo. "Sometimes I wonder how I can be so desperately in love with someone I constantly lie to, even when most of those lies are omissions. I think that is why I forgive her so often. How can I not when I am lying more often than not?"

"You've made your life very complicated haven't you?" Faith asked shaking her head.

"Yes, strangely enough I have made it very complicated. Anyone who knows me in this life would think me rather simple. I suppose it's a good thing that no one in this life actually does know me." Lauren said sadly.

"Yet you seem to be letting me into this life." Faith said knowing exactly how many lives Lauren had actually lived.

"I am aren't I? I'm not sure why that is but it's nice to have someone to actually talk to. I don't know how I know, but I know that you aren't judging me. I feel like I can talk to you about anything and that is horrifying yet liberating."

"For someone stuck in a world of secrets I can only imagine how wonderful it is to tell the truth." Faith said putting her hand on Lauren's lower back and guiding her back towards the compound. "Now it's past late and I know you probably have to work tomorrow."

"Yes I do, though with Hale as Ash I've been mostly working on Bo." Lauren said amazed that she had revealed so much, most of which would be enough to execute her for treason. "Are you Fae?" She suddenly asked searching for a reason to her sudden openness.

"No and you don't have to worry about me tattling to the Fae about anything we talk about. You have my blood oath on that." Faith said more than willing to take out a knife and give said oath.

"No, I don't need it, I know that you won't tell them." She said letting the silence fall between them again. Walking towards the compound she felt a certain amount of weight lift off her shoulders. It was freeing being able to talk to someone. "Can I see you again? Somewhere that's not a dingy bar on the wrong side of town?" She asked with a smile.

"Whenever and wherever you like." Faith said simply. Walking Lauren to the Compound gates Faith said her goodbyes and watched Lauren walk away.

Sliding out of bed and out of her memories, Faith smiled down at Lauren who was sleeping soundly. She was grateful that she had been able to find Lauren. She was even more grateful that Lauren had chosen to follow her. It was the middle of the day and she still had plenty of work left to do. One of which was figuring out how to break the news of a possible miscarriage to Lauren. At this moment Faith wished she had spent more of her life studying science than the science of people. All she needed to do was compare the DNA of the baby to Dyson and Lauren and she would know if the child was viable. Instead she had to wonder and wait and hope the fetus lived to term.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer:_ Wishing I owned some of this; Still don't._

**AN: Okay I KNOW I'M SORRY. I had to do it though. I mean I've read up on the mythology of Succubi and Incubi and I had to use some of it. I could have wasted everyone's time in this chapter and reviewed all of the mythology but I was nice enough not to. However, the child is Dyson's, explanation below. **

**I will say "theoutlier" you got it right on the money. You clearly took a gander at the myths surrounds succubus, nicely done. I thought of going the route of Taft's kid but that grossed me out even more than Dyson's the 'noble'. So no Taft.**

**I'm sorry for the confusion for those who did get lost in my methodology but I hope you end up liking the twists and turns in this story. I'm going at a faster pace then I had expected so lets hope I can keep it up. **

**Please feel free to continue feeding my ego. Thanks to all those keeping up and reviewing this story. **

**Again question: should I put the little flashbacks into Italics? Easier or harder to read? Thoughts, comments, angry criticism?**

Lauren woke up to the smell of cinnamon and honey. Slowly rising from the bed she wasn't overly surprised to see that Faith was gone. She was surprised to see Faith setting down a tray on the small dining table for two.

"Did I wake you?" Faith asked pulling out a chair for Lauren.

"I'm not sure. I think I was ready to wake up anyways. Do you know what time it is?" She asked looking out towards the window.

"It's past two in the afternoon. I figured since you missed breakfast you might want some now." Faith said removing the heating covers. "I wasn't sure how your stomach has been so I went with oatmeal and strawberries, a glass of orange juice, and a cup of decaffeinated coffee."

"I'm starving actually and it smells wonderful." Lauren said getting up and walking towards the dining table. She wished she had thought to pick up her robe from the lab cabinet before letting Faith bring her upstairs.

Faith waited for Lauren to take a seat before taking the one opposite her. "I think we should talk." Faith said wishing for a more opportune moment but knowing if she didn't address the topic soon she would only end up avoiding it.

"I'm guessing from your tone it is serious." Lauren quipped placing a napkin on her lap and stirring her oatmeal.

"I have a spent the morning and afternoon researching what you told me this morning." Faith began referencing the pregnancy and paternity of the fetus. "It's been a long time since I've looked into the lives of the Fae and their various species. I've had no need to until today really." Faith said unsure how to really broach the topic. "Though my knowledge is not as extensive as perhaps yours is I do know enough to know where to look. As it is...I know you are curious as to how you managed to conceive Dyson's child since you have never had relations with him." Faith said hoping to remain impassive and clinical.

"I can assure you beyond a single doubt that I have never had 'relations' with Dyson nor would I ever want to." Lauren said a little too harshly.

"This is awkward to say the least." Faith began again. "I am sure you have studied up on Succubus's extensively as a species but I am afraid you have missed something. Part of it was lore and most of it I suppose can be disregarded, however, you are proof that part of it is true."

"Faith get to the point, you're not making much sense." Lauren said sharply and instantly felt ashamed for snapping at Faith. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm more than comfortable talking about sex but the process of conception through a third party seems to put me to the blush." Faith said looking anywhere but at Lauren. "But as I was saying, lore states that Succubus would harvest the sperm of males and transfer it to Incubus, so that the Incubus could impregnate a woman. The lore is clearly off but it does have a bearing of truth. You see most Succubus don't reproduce. It is counter-productive to their nature. A succubus is a creature of sexual desire and a lot of desire is based on appearance." Faith paused collecting her thoughts. "Succubus do reproduce but from what I have found and what I have gathered is that most do not go into their reproductive cycles until after their Dawning ceremony. Some take centuries after the ceremony. Even when they do enter their cycle it is on a longer scale than that of a different species of Fae or of a human. From what I have been able to gather they are only fertile twice a year once they are ready to reproduce."

"So what you are in essence saying is that Bo harvested Dyson's sperm and used it to impregnate me?" Lauren asked incredulously.

"Basically...yes. I mean it's the only thing that makes sense. The history of Succubi and Incubi is rather distorted by separate accounts from humans. Humans blamed Succubus and Incubus for a variety of deformities in children. So removing the human factor and lore I conclude that by having sex with the succubus after she had sexual relations with the wolf you were able to conceive. It's clear the succubus doesn't know enough about herself to be careful with her male sexual partners or her female ones for that matter." Faith said hoping she had kept the disdain from her voice.

"I think I am going to be sick." Lauren said standing up and running to the adjoining bathroom.

Releasing a frustrated sigh for a conversation that had clearly not gone as well as she had planned Faith stood up and followed Lauren to the bathroom. Grabbing a washcloth she turned on the hot water and let it run for a minute before soaking the cloth. Wringing it out she handed it to Lauren wordlessly.

Flushing the toilet Lauren used the cloth to wipe her mouth and stared at Faith hopelessly. "What am I going to do Faith?"

Again Faith wished she wasn't being asked a question she didn't know how to answer. "Beatrice I can't answer that question for you. I can give you options but some of them might be obsolete either way." Faith said getting ready to enter the next part of a difficult conversation.

"Meaning?" Lauren asked taking a seat on the toilet and bracing herself.

"Your body could naturally abort the child."Faith said feeling it was better to put out the most difficult topic first.

"Why?"

"Because the child's father is Fae." Faith said simply but knew from the look Lauren was giving her that she would have to expound on the topic. "We are two different branches of the same evolutionary tree you could say. Humans are the tree. We are both able to reproduce with humans but nearly every case of interbreeding between us and the Fae have been catastrophic. The children either don't survive the pregnancy, the birth, or through their first year. The few that do survive are worse off than the dead. They are deformed with a hunger that can never be satisfied. The grow too quickly and destroy everything in their path. The birth mothers in those cases also have a hard time surviving. I didn't want to bring this up yet but I don't really have a choice in the matter.

You are a hybrid of us and human. So the child has a fifty percent chance of survival. If the child is a mix of your human side and Fae, he or she will most likely survive. If the child is a mix of us and Fae than it would be kinder to you and the child if we abort it now. That is if your body does not do it for us." Faith said sadly.

"Faith what am I really?" Lauren asked amazed that she had held off from asking for so long.

"You are Dhampir, though not through the traditional sense. Michaels daughters were Dhampir directly. You are a rarity. Your mother and father were both great grand children of vampires. Over the generations the blood lines get diluted and eventually only humans are born but every once in a while a child will be born Dhampir without having a vampire for a parent. You are that rarity. It's why you rarely get sick. It's why you've healed faster than the other children. It's why you will live longer than any human and it's why you can become vampyren. You won't be as powerful as us or live as long but you will have most of strengths and few of our weaknesses." Faith said wondering how well Lauren would take the news.

"I don't know why but I'm not as shocked as I expected myself to be." Lauren said softly thinking of all the times Faith had referred to her as part of the family. She wondered now why she never questioned it, never asked why Faith was welcoming her so eagerly. "For some reason I kept classifying you as a type of Fae. I suppose it was easier to fall into that safe zone than to ask for the truth." Lauren said feeling a little dazed.

"Yes well it is a conversation I haven't been looking forward to." Faith said softly.

"So am I related to you?" Lauren asked suddenly confused.

"No, not even a little bit. If you want I can show you your family tree." Faith said wishing the conversation were over already.

"So how do I find out if the baby will be okay or not?" Lauren asked suddenly worried about her unborn child.

"Do you want to keep it still?" Faith asked unsure of Lauren's feeling on carrying her rivals child.

"I...I...Yes I do want to keep it." Lauren said finally finding her voice.

"Well then I would think you could compare the DNA samples from us, you, Dyson, and the child. If the child has any of our markers than it would be better to terminate now." Faith said wishing she wasn't the one delivering this news.

"Yes I think I will." Lauren said unsure if she was actually willing to terminate regardless of the results of her comparison. With the topic actually out in the open she finally took the time to consider her options. She couldn't stand the idea of termination and the idea of giving the child up for adoption was intolerable. The only option really was keeping the baby.

She knew she had already subconsciously decided on keeping the baby from the moment she realized she was pregnant. She was still impressed that as a doctor it had taken her so long to actually realize she was pregnant. Then again it wasn't surprising that pregnancy wasn't on her list of reason for missing her period. She was a lesbian, she was in a committed relationship, and the last time she had relations with a man she was in high school. Overall there were a variety of reasons for missing one or two menstrual cycles and pregnancy wasn't always the top cause. She had thought at first it was stress considering she was under a lot of it dealing with Bo and the devolving of their relationship. Then she had considered the possibility of irregularity due to weight loss since she had lost a couple of pounds during the first couple of months of dating Bo. Then came the fear that something was biologically wrong. She worried about ovarian cysts and cancer which turned up negative since her white cell and t-cell count were all within norms. If she had considered pregnancy she would have realized her EPT levels were elevated. She was just grateful she had done all the testing at home and not at the lab.

"Beatrice" Faith said drawing Lauren out of her reverie. "Do you want a minute?" Faith asked tentatively.

"I do, though there is still a lot we need to talk about, a lot I need to know." Lauren said standing up and moving towards the sink to brush her teeth.

"Do you think you are going to eat again?" Faith asked doubting it.

"Uh no I would rather not. My stomach is still feeling a little upset at the moment." Lauren said at the thought of food.

"Alright, I'll bring the tray down to the kitchen. When you are ready to continue this conversation I will be in my study." Faith said then stopped. "Do you remember where that is?"

"Yes, it's connected to the library." Lauren said without thinking.

Nodding her head Faith turned and walked away. She was grateful she had left the books on Succubus and Incubus in her office. She had no doubt that Lauren would want to look over everything. Now she had to take out Lauren's family tree. Soon enough she knew she would have to tell Lauren the whole truth. There was so much she had left out when they spoke about Lauren coming to live with them. There was so much she had refrained from mentioning for fear of scaring Lauren away. Now because of the baby some of the truth was out and there was no reason to keep the rest hidden. She hadn't lied when she swore to protect Lauren and the child. Even if Lauren decided to leave she would always have their protection.

Lauren watched Faith walk away and released a small sigh when she heard the door to her room close. Her brain felt like it was floating in new information. She wanted to blame her naiveté on the hormones and the pregnancy but knew it wasn't either. She had chosen to stay ignorant of everything Faith ever referred to. She had wanted an out and Faith had provided it. It didn't matter what happened or what Faith demanded, if it had meant leaving the Fae then Lauren would have agreed to it. As it was she had agreed to plenty in exchange for the comfort and security that Faith would provide and had already provided.

From the moment she had met Faith, Lauren had begun an affair of sorts. It had never shifted to a physical or sexual relationship but an emotional one. After the incident with Dyson a wall had slowly built itself between herself and Bo. She hadn't realized it had happened until it was too late. Just like she hadn't realized that she had come to rely more on Faith for emotional support than she did Bo. She talked to Faith regularly about her feelings and her problems where she merely accepted whatever Bo did without complaint until she was miserable. She didn't know how much of her relationship with Bo she had sabotaged but she knew she couldn't blame Bo alone.

Deciding to take a shower Lauren turned on the water and took off her clothes. Looking into the mirror she stopped and looked down at her body. She hadn't changed much and if it wasn't for the missed periods and the test she wouldn't know she was pregnant. She supposed it helped that she had lost weight before becoming pregnant. Running her hands over her abdomen she pictured her unborn child. She estimated if Faith was right about the date of conception that she was about twelve weeks pregnant. Soon she would start feeling the tiny little kicks and punches. Soon she would start feeling the baby shift around. It was amazing to think that a human being was growing slowly inside her.

Stepping into the shower Lauren thought of all the little cracks that had slowly formed in her relationship with Bo. The first was clearly Dyson, but strangely enough he had been a crack from the beginning, a rival, an obstacle, and the personification of everything she would never be. Dyson had claimed Bo as his mate. Dyson was able to satisfy all of Bo's physical and biological needs. Dyson was Fae. She realized that she had never hated the Fae until she met Bo. Now she wasn't sure if she hated them but she knew she didn't want to be around them. She didn't want to raise her child to always be thought of as inferior, or worse as an abomination.

Again she strayed from the thought of her relationship with Bo to the fact that she was pregnant with her rivals child. A part of her felt it was only right that Dyson be told of his child but another part of her balked at the idea. She didn't want to return to the Fae. She didn't want her child to be raised anywhere near the Fae. Dyson might be noble, he might be honorable, and he might be the father but he was still Fae. The same people who had enslaved her. The same people who degraded her. The same people who killed humans for food and pleasure. She couldn't tell Dyson. She couldn't reveal to the Fae that she was still alive and well. No Lauren Lewis was dead and it would be better for the Fae and for her child if Lauren remained dead.

Turning off the shower Lauren stepped out and dried off, put lotion on her body and got dressed for the day. Avoiding thoughts of her child and of Dyson she thought back to all the times Faith had stepped into her life when she needed her most.

Taking a seat on the bench Lauren wondered what she had done. How had things gone so wrong so quickly? How could she fix things when she wasn't sure how to fix things?

"Penny for your thoughts?" Faith asked taking a seat next to Lauren.

"Is that all they are worth?" Lauren asked playfully momentarily forgetting her troubles.

"Okay a nickel for your thoughts."

"I suppose that is something." Lauren said taking a quick moment to really look at Faith. The woman was pale but not sickly pale, more like someone who spent more time indoors than out pale. Her long brown hair had strands of gold that shined in the sun highlighting her face. Her eyes nearly glowed a warm honey brown reminding Lauren of a primal feline on the hunt. There was something predatory about Faith that always lingered in the background. A controlled power that settled over Lauren every time they met. "Thank you for coming to meet me. Are you sorry it's not a bar?"

"No, I'm happy to be outside. It's a wonderful day. The sun is shining. The birds are singing. The weather has started to warm up." Faith said rolling her eyes a little. "Shall we continue with the pleasantries? I've spoken about the weather. I suppose you could bring up the people walking the park today."

"Sometimes you act like we are in a 18th century novel. I suppose that was a stupid way to break the silence. I just hate the fact that I always ask you to meet me when things are going wrong in my life. Lately it feels like it's always going wrong."

"There was nothing wrong with the 18th century besides the lack of hygiene, wars, and rampant disease, oh and imperialism. I'll stick with the romanticized version of it though." Faith said giving Lauren a genuine smile. "Plus you know I don't mind our meetings regardless of the reason behind them."

It was that easy charm that made Lauren wish in the back of her mind that she had met Faith before she had met Nadia. "For once I should ask you how you are doing?" Lauren said hoping to keep the crushing sadness at bay for a little longer.

"I'm well, I'm here with you after all." Faith said pouring out a little more charm. "Things are going good. I'm hosting another political dinner party tonight and if you weren't already taken I would ask you to be my plus one."

"You're into politics?" Lauren asked curiously.

"I'm not so much into politics as eager to keep up with current political movements. I'm a business woman and the head of my family. I must always keep their interests in mind so that means I have to keep an eye in the way the world's politics and economics shift." Faith replied easily never delving into her political beliefs or parties she supported.

"Aren't you too young to be head of your family? Are you married Faith?" Lauren asked suddenly very curious.

"I'm old enough thank you very much." Faith said with feigned insult. "I was married once upon a time but she died." Faith finished looking away from Lauren out towards the park.

"I'm sorry." Lauren said suddenly unsure of what else to say.

"It was a long time ago. Sometimes it feels like it was lifetimes ago."Faith paused thinking of how long it had actually been. "So now that we have delved a little into my life how are things going in yours?" Faith said happy to bring the topic back to Lauren.

"Slowly degrading." Lauren said simply not quite ready to spoil the tentative feeling of happiness blooming in her chest.

"Well that doesn't sound good."

"No, it's not good. It turns out Kenzi was infected with the essence of a Kitsune. The Kitsune tracked her down and kidnapped her, then used glamour to take Kenzi's place in our lives. I didn't notice the difference between one and the other but honestly Kenzi and I have never been really close. I mean I noticed a few little things but I don't' know enough about Kenzi to have considered any of them odd. I certainly didn't think she had been kidnapped. Either way Bo dragged the Kenzi Kitsune into the Dal and claimed that the Kitsune was a Kenzi imposter. I didn't believe her. Honestly no one believed her except for Tamsin."

"Why did you believe her?" Faith asked curiously.

"Well she had been acting different, Bo that is, she had lost control of herself. I found out this week that she is devolving for lack of a better word but I had been worried about it for the last couple of weeks. I knew something was wrong with her I just didn't know what it was." Lauren stopped mentally back tracking. "So I didn't believe her but in my defense she wasn't making much sense. If she had just provided a little more evidence beyond she had a 'feeling' then I would have believed her. Then again as her girlfriend shouldn't I believe her regardless of whether or not I really believe her?" Lauren asked rhetorically. "So we locked her up and I collected some samples. She got really angry with me and things were said. Things that I don't think either of us can ever really take back or forgive."

"Such as?"

"She said if anything happened to Kenzi that she would never forgive me. It placed a real strain in our relationship that I don't know how to get over. What little trust we built seems to have withered away." Looking away Lauren decided to switch back to the main topic. "Then we found out that she is devolving because of the Dawning. I've spent a good portion of the week finding a way to slow down the process."

"I feel like something important is missing here." Faith said into the sudden silence.

"Part of the ceremony is going through a gate of sorts. In order to do that Bo had to clear up some emotional issues regarding her adopted parents. I wanted to go with her back home. I wanted to be a part of her life and not just in the background. I had hoped it would be a way for us to reconnect since there has been this wall building between us. Instead she decided to take Kenzi. She said they needed to reconnect and I am so angry at myself for not saying anything. I feel like I am trying and working towards something and this wall keeps getting in the way. She won't talk to me. She keeps hiding things from me. I just don't know what to do." Lauren stopped and looked at Faith with a note of pleading.

"You could tell her how you feel." Faith said simply sliding her arm around Lauren's shoulder in comfort.

"I'm not sure what I would say. She is keeping her distance and the truth about Dyson is like a specter lurking in the background of our relationship. I keep waiting for her to tell me the truth. I keep waiting for her to leave me." Lauren said finally breaking down and crying. "I'm not enough for her and he is. I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop and I just don't want to let it drop any faster. I don't want to push her into leaving."

"If you don't talk to her about what you are feeling you are only going to make this worse you know?" Faith said logically.

"I know but I'm so afraid of what will happen when I do say something. I just keep hoping that once she completes her Dawning ceremony everything will get better. Once she gets her hunger under control she'll be able to focus on us again." Lauren said with a slight sniffle.

"You mean once the Dawning is over you hope she will finally be able to put you first?" Faith asked seeing the truth behind Lauren's words. Receiving a slight nodded Faith released a sigh of frustration. "I wish I could make this all better for you." Faith said without thinking.

"I wish you could too." Lauren said leaning more of her weight on Faith, basking in the comfort of physical contact, something that had also been lacking in her relationship with Bo.

The two sat in silence for a long time. Long enough for Lauren's tears to dry and the slight hiccups to dissipate. In unison the two got up from the bench and walked along the graveled path of the park before making their way back to the Light compound in silence.


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer; don't own, dontownathing_

**AN: Well I don't particularly like this chapter. I think I could have done a better job but this chapter was written over three days so clearly I was having a hard time. I don't know if I am going to bother keeping it up but since I bothered writing it I will post it for now at least. Please feel free to give your opinion on it. Should I rewrite this? Should I put this up rewritten further down the line? **

**Thanks though to everyone who has decided to follow and review. The bits of encouragement has helped a lot. **

Hale stared down at his ex-partner and wondered how everything had gotten so out of hand so quickly. In a matter of days he had been able to save the Fae from going to war but at the cost of his dearest friends. Bo was gone, Dyson was in critical care, Tamsin was dead, and Lauren was missing. They had found six bodies in the wreckage of the human research lab, two of those bodies had been identified as Fae while the other four were human. Now he was just waiting for find out who the four humans were. He didn't particularly care about the humans since he presumed them to be body guards but one was identified as female from the bone structure.

He couldn't help but worry that the female body was Lauren. He knew she would have returned to the compound if she was able to. They had made a deal and she was free. She was the model for his new implementation on human equality within the Fae world. She was to be given a voice, a job, and rights. She had more than exceeded his expectations, she had saved the Fae, something he knew was difficult considering her status as slave for the last six years.

"Stop having such deep thoughts, they will give you wrinkles." Kenzi said dragging him from his thoughts.

"It's impossible not to have deep thoughts while sitting here." He responded looking up at the woman he secretly loved.

"So thoughts?" She asked handing him a cup of coffee and taking a seat next to him.

"A lot has changed, some of it for the better, but so much is still uncertain. I've saved the Fae from going to war again and I've saved us from stupidly going against humans, but the person who helped me most is nowhere to be found." He said sad that he had kept so much from Kenzi over the last couple of months.

"I feel like I'm missing something." Kenzi said knowing she was missing most of it.

"I'm waiting for confirmation that the body we found at the Observatory is Lauren." He said finally voicing his worst fear.

"You're what?" Kenzi asked shocked.

"Lauren found out that a certain human was delving a little too deeply into her life and her research. She contacted me and said she thought he was dangerous and that we should investigate into his life and research. I thought she was being a little overly paranoid until the bodies started showing up." Hale started glad for someone to talk to.

"What bodies?" Kenzi asked feeling as if she was out of the loop.

"Really? What do you and Bo talk about?" Hale asked a little incredulously. "One of Bo's lovers showed up not too far away from your house. Lauren wasn't willing to divulge her suspicions to Dyson but she came to me with them. She told me the truth about Bo picking the girl up but that the kill was inconclusive. She didn't suspect Bo for the murder and I believed her." He paused gathering his thoughts. "When Dyson found the other bodies Lauren restated her belief's that Isaac Taft was a dangerous man and that he was somehow responsible for the recent Fae murders. So we struck a bargain; she would infiltrate Taft's organization in exchange for her freedom. I mean she would still have to work for the Light so we could protect her but she would have rights." He said thinking how insignificant his offer actually sounded.

"So why do you think she's dead?" Kenzi asked feeling her heart sink a little at the idea.

"Because I stressed to her that once she completed her side of the mission that she had to return to the Light compound as soon as possible. I had a clue about what the Morrigan planned and I didn't want Lauren to be caught in the crossfire. If the Dark find her she is as good as dead." He said honestly knowing that without the Light's protection the Elders would order Lauren's execution.

"How can you protect her if you aren't the Ash?" Kenzi asked logically.

"I made the right arrangement." He said cryptically not willing to go into detail over everything he had negotiated to ensure Lauren's safety. "I just keep hoping it's not her but who else could it be Kenzi?"

"It could be one someone who worked there." Kenzi said weakly hoping to offer some comfort.

"I wish I hadn't sent her in there." He said shaking his head and looking at his phone waiting for the text message that would tell him if it was Lauren or not.

"Where's Trick? Shouldn't he be here?" Kenzi asked looking at Dyson.

"I made sure he got out of the country, considering the wreckage at the Dal, it was the right move. Have you heard from Bo?" He asked not shifting his eyes from his phone.

"No and I'm worried." Kenzi said succinctly.

The phone pinged and a message appeared. Looking over Hales shoulder Kenzi read the message and felt her stomach bottom out: Lauren Lewis was dead.

"Oh god no." Kenzi said thinking of her best friends reaction.

"Yeah I was thinking something along those lines." Hale said thinking of the shit storm he would have to face when he told a certain succubus that her girlfriend was dead. "Can you stay with him? I have to go make arrangements for the body." He said looking first at Dyson and then at Kenzi. "Lauren deserves a proper burial." He said refusing to mention the state the body was found in. There was little left of Lauren Lewis to bury. She would get no fan fare or pomp to commemorate her life. The most he would be able to give was a simple ceremony at a local human cemetery.

Walking out the door Hale shook his head at how little he actually knew about the Doctor who had saved the Fae not once but three times. It was amazing how easily Lauren Lewis fell into the background. It was heartbreaking at how little recognition she was given throughout her life. It was despicable that so few would attend her funeral. The majority of the Fae still considered her an enemy of the state. The word had not gotten around yet of how much she had actually sacrificed for all of their sake. It was moments like this that he wished his people had a little more humanity running through their veins.

_Four Days Later_

Hale stood at the small podium he had order for the funeral service. Looking out at the crowd he had to admit if only to himself that he was impressed at how many people had decided to attend. Clearing his throat he looked at his best friend and then at the woman he loved. Receiving a nod of encouragement from both he began.

"I never expected this day to come. We don't ever really think of death regardless of the fact that it is a reality of every person's life. We don't think our loved ones will die even though we know in the depths of our hearts that they will. I always expected Lauren Lewis to come home. That may be a little conceited of me; to think that the Light Compound would be considered a home to Lauren when in reality it was her prison. Lauren was a slave to the Ash. She was given the nicer title of Ward but she was still a slave, a piece of property. The thought of her enslavement brings me shame each and every day. A woman who fought so valiantly for the Light was considered by the majority as a piece of property." He paused looking down in sincere shame.

"Lauren saved the lives of hundreds of thousands and never asked for a thing in return. She served the Light valiantly and I wish that she was here today. My last act as interim Ash was to give Lauren Lewis her freedom. She may have lost her life but she lost her life as a free woman. She was no longer a slave and now no one will ever make her a slave again.

"Lauren Lewis was a true hero. Her loss will be felt by hundreds for generations to come. She was human but in her heart she was one of us." He finished stepping down from the podium. Walking to the casket he picked up a white rose and laid it on the coffin lid. Stepping to the side he watched as each member of the crowd walked up and laid down a flower before turning and leaving the cemetery. He was proud of the Fae who had turned out to see Lauren laid to rest.

"I can't believe she's gone." Dyson said walking up to Hale and resting his hand on the other mans shoulder.

"Neither can I." Kenzi said joining the two men.

"She was free, she was finally free." Hale said feeling the hot sting of tears at the back of his eyes. His mind flashing back to the body in the casket. He couldn't get the medical examiners words out of his head 'Female, approximately 118 pounds, five foot seven, twelve weeks pregnant, identified as Lauren Lewis through dental records. Unable to obtain DNA due to lack of viable tissue.' Those words had been so cold but they had resonated deeply into his mind. 'Cause of death; blunt force trauma to the occipital lobe causing a subdural hematoma.'

"Have any of you seen Bo yet?" Haled finally asked trying to shake the image of the burned corpse from his mind's eye.

"No, I've looked everywhere and I'm worried." Kenzi said with obvious concern. "I wish she was here."

"I'm sure she's fine Kenzi." Dyson said hoping he was able to infuse his words with the sense of confidence he didn't feel.

"How are you holding up Hale?" Kenzi asked looking at Hale with concern.

"I let her go in there Kenzi. I let her go on a dangerous mission and she's dead. How should I feel?" He asked blinking hard to stop the guilty tears from flowing free. His mind flashed back to the morgue: 'How do you know she was pregnant?' 'Her pelvic bones have already begun to shift; here at the Ilium, the superior and inferior Ramus, and the pubic symphysis.' "I let her die."

"Hale you know that's not true." Dyson said comfortingly.

"Do I? She told me she suspected Taft. She told me something was wrong with him and that I should investigate him. So what did I do? I sent her in alone to gather information and take him down from the inside. I dangled freedom in front of her and she took it. I got her killed." Hale said feeling the guilt overwhelm him. He had wanted to make her into a hero for the Fae in order to move his plans forward. "I've killed two innocent people." He said unthinkingly.

"Who else did you kill?" Dyson asked catching the slip.

Looking at his best friend Hale just shook his head. He had no right to tell Lauren's secrets. He had no right to reveal something that could turn everyone's opinion against Lauren. She was a hero and that was how she was going to be remembered. No one would ever know about the pregnancy. "Nothing, no one. I have to go." He said moving away from the casket. He had to return to the Light compound and destroy Lauren's autopsy file.


	7. Chapter 7

**Don't own anything**

**an; Okay sorry it has been so long but work has been a little all consuming. I've been travelling a lot and working even more than usual. I don't think I've had a real day off in the last three weeks. Anyways, I have been writing and honestly it hasn't been going the way I have planned. I wrote out a chapter and by the time I finished it I hated it so I scraped it and started another one and didn't care for that direction either. I am not sure how I feel about this one to but I figured I should try to post something otherwise I will just keep changing my mind and changing directions. Not making a decision is in fact making a decision. So here goes absolutely nothing. If you like say so,,, if you don't say so. I like to hear criticism as much as I like ideas and praise. **

_Parking a couple of blocks from the Light Compound Faith stepped out of her car and walked to the park. She was scheduled to meet Lauren and she was running late. Looking around the park she spotted Lauren sitting almost forlornly on one of the park benches. Looking at the woman she was slowly falling in love with Faith wished things were different. She wished she didn't have to keep so many secrets from Lauren but she knew if she was completely honest she would scare her. So she chose to tell partial truths and leave the rest to the world of omission. If Lauren didn't ask a direct question then there was no need to expound on the truth. _

_ "I'm sorry, I'm late." Faith started hoping Lauren wasn't mad._

_ Getting up Lauren wrapped her arms around Faith. "Are you okay Lauren?" Faith asked happy to return the warm embrace._

_ "Everything has been so hard Faith. I sat here thinking of how much I depend on you and for a minute I worried that you weren't coming. I thought that maybe you had finally gotten sick of hearing about my relationship drama." Lauren buried her face into the crook of Faith's neck and breathed deeply. The scent of cloves and cinnamon teased her senses offering a mixture of comfort and arousal._

_ "I'm sorry." Faith paused confused by Lauren's behavior. "I would never just leave. I would never just ignore you. You know I care about you Lauren." Faith admitted wishing she could express how much she really cared. _

_ "I don't know what I did to have someone like you in my life." Lauren said unwilling to look at Faith._

_ "I'm going to take that as a compliment and not a hidden insult." Faith said with a little chuckle wishing to lighten the mood a little. _

_ "Yes it is a compliment. You have been such a constant in my life the last couple of months. I don't know if I could have dealt with everything that has happened without you." Lauren mumbled into Faith's neck. "I've been on this long emotional rollercoaster and I think I've had enough Faith. I'm so tired of wanting something I can't have. I'm so tired of feeling guilty all the time. I'm just tired."_

_ Pulling away Faith captured Lauren's face and looked into tear filled eyes. "I had planned for us to have a nice quiet day but I think you need to get away from your life for a little bit. Come on." Faith pulled Lauren towards her car._

_ Opening the passenger's side door Faith helped Lauren get into the car then shut the door. Picking up her phone she made one call and made arrangements for the day. Walking to the driver's side she got in and put on her seat belt. Looking at Lauren she smiled and turned the car on, checked traffic and pulled out. Weaving through the streets she got onto the highway._

_ "Should I ask where we are going?" Lauren asked curiously wondering why they were going towards lake Ontario._

_ "I've made arrangements for us to spend the day of the water." Faith said simply as if that explained everything. _

_ "So you rented a boat?" Lauren asked looking at Faith for a better hint of the sudden change in plans._

_ "As if, that's all I'm going to say, as if." Faith said with a smile looking over at Lauren before returning her attention to the road._

_ "Are you trying to spoil me so that I will runaway with you?" Lauren asked falling into the light mood Faith was setting._

_ "I would if I thought for even a moment it would get you to runaway with me." Faith replied lightly hoping she was able to hide the real sentiment behind the words. She would do anything if it would get Lauren to leave with her._

_ Not sure how to respond Lauren smiled and looked out the window instead. She felt confused by the turn in conversation. She didn't know what prompted her to be flirtatious. She didn't know why a part of her wanted desperately to run away with Faith. Part of her suspected it was due to the fact that her relationship with Faith was evolving while her relationship with Bo had already devolved. She felt so alone in her relationship with Bo. She wasn't sure if things would be different if Faith wasn't there. All she knew was that she had come to rely on Faith, in a way she had never relied on Bo. She talked to Faith about everything. She talked about her relationships; past and present. She opened up about Afghanistan and the Congo. She felt safe and free with Faith, it was something she had come to treasure._

_ "We're here." Faith said parking the car and stepping out to help Lauren get out._

_ Taking Faith's hand Lauren smiled. It was the little things about Faith that warmed Lauren's heart. Faith knew when Lauren needed to think. She knew when to give a little space and when to let the silence settle in comfortably. She knew when to push and when to let things go. Faith bordered on girlfriend so often at times Lauren felt the lines blur. And it was that blurring that made her think her relationship with Bo was at an end, or very close to it. Every time she went out with Faith, Lauren felt as if she was cheating on Bo; never physically but emotionally. She shared so much of herself with Faith so easily._

_ Walking out to the marina Lauren was surprised when they stopped in front of a huge sail boat. Looking the boat over she had to admit that the boat wasn't a boat; it was a yacht. Turning to look at Faith she raised her eyebrow in silent curiosity. Smiling Faith merely pulled Lauren up the boarding blank and onto the yacht. _

_ "Captain Saunders we are here." Faith announced guiding Lauren to the front of the ship where a dinner setting was laid out complete with candles and roses. _

_ Lauren watched in surprise as an older gentleman came out to greet Faith with a smile before moving to order the five other crew members to get ready to set sail. Looking back at Faith in surprise Lauren finally decided to ask what was going on. "Care to explain?" Lauren prompted._

_ "Let's just say I prefer staying on the boat when I am in town. I have a house on the outskirts of Toronto but I don't particularly like staying there."Faith said guiding Lauren to her seat and taking her own._

_ "I was wondering more about the boat and this fancy dinner." Lauren gave Faith a little smirk, raising her eyebrow in question._

_ "I am wealthy."Faith said simply._

_ "Clearly" Lauren said with a touch of sarcasm. "I doubt the captain would act so familiar with you if you didn't own the ship. For some reason I didn't think you were this wealthy." Lauren paused looking around the ship. She had to admit the ship was clearly top of the line and decked out for both pleasure and utility._

_ "It's not something I particularly like to flaunt. Money unfortunately comes with its own set of downfalls. People who know you have money always want something from you. They either desire what your money can get them or what power lays behind the money. So I try for a bit of anonymity whenever possible." Faith said feeling a need to explain some of her reasoning for keeping her level of wealth a secret. Picking up the iced champagne Faith filled the two glass flute. She hoped the alcohol would help Lauren relax and help herself in the process. _

_ "So you decide to hang out in dark seedy bars to what? avoid people knowing who you really are? How wealthy you really are?" Lauren asked wondering what Faith's last name was so she could look the woman up._

_ "I can already see your mind turning and I would rather you didn't go racing off to figure out who I really am and how much money I really have." Faith said with a soft smile clearly able to see the wheels turn in Laurens mind. The blush that graced Lauren's cheeks was answer enough. "I would rather we got to know each other in the traditional manner. The whole modern age to me is something of an impersonal wonder. Everybody knows everybody and meeting people is so cold. I like the warmth of getting to know a person's history through their eyes and their emotions. I will happily tell you what you want within reason Lauren. I may decide to hold things back now and again but I do suspect the longer we know each other the more we will learn about each other."_

_ Looking down Lauren considered Faith's words. She had no desire to trespass on Faith's privacy. "I won't apologize for thinking of it but I promise not to go searching for you. However, you do know I am curious. You rarely talk about yourself, your past or your family. Every time we meet it's always about me. Don't get me wrong I appreciate having someone to talk to, to be so open and honest with, but I would like to know more about you." _

_ "Alright what would you like to know?" Faith asked glad that they were finally pulling out of the harbor. _

_ Starring at Faith, Lauren paused wondering what to ask. She hated grilling someone about their past. She preferred random stories that came about naturally in a conversation. "Where were you born? Where have you lived? Where did you go to school? How old are you? Single or married?" She asked randomly stopping briefly in realization that the last two questions were very personal and sounded as if she was interested in Faith._

_ "I was born in Cairo but we didn't stay there for very long. My father liked to travel so the whole family moved around a lot. I've travelled through most of Africa, Asia, and Europe. I am sorry to say that I have never been to South America. My father retired there after I left and moved to North America." Faith began making sure to avoid the finer details of her time in each country and the cause of the rift between herself and her father. _

_ "Do you see your father often?" Lauren asked curious at the mention of a father._

_ "No, not in a very long time. We don't really speak to each other either." Faith paused considering how much to reveal. "You see my father and I rarely saw eye to eye in regards to anything important. My father was an authoritative man who considers the world and people as toys to be played with and discarded. He doesn't have a strong a tie to family and tradition as I do. I've worked hard my entire life to take care of my family. Whereas my father has always thought that only the strongest, the most powerful deserved any rights. It created a strain between us and between me and my brother Marcus."_

_ "Why?" Lauren asked inquisitively happy to have Faith talking so freely about her family and her past._

_ Picking up her glass Faith took a sip of champagne before continuing. "Marcus followed the same route as my father with a few minor changes. He took a little more responsibility in regards to the importance of family. The problem really between Marcus and I is that we were raised to fight each other." Seeing the confused look on Lauren's face Faith expounded on the topic. "Marcus and I were always in competition and it usually wasn't by choice. My father pitted us against each other in a variety of competitions. Whoever was the victor gained a prize of one sort or another and who ever lost was severely punished. Unfortunately Marcus was always more competitive than I was which made things harder. He always needed to win and when he lost he took it badly. I threw more than one pathetic competition in the hopes of making things better between us but it didn't matter." Faith stopped and looked out at the shore now so far away. The captain had ordered the main mast to be raised and Faith watched as they caught a passing breeze. The depth of the sitting area prevented the deck from becoming too windy. "Marcus and I have barely spoken since he got married. I moved to North America not long after that." Faith said wistfully._

_ "So you stopped talking to each other because he got married?" Lauren asked taking a sip from her own glass._

_ "Yes and no." Faith said then paused as one of the crew came out with a tray. Smiling in thanks she waited for him to serve their meal. She was surprised at how much time had actually passed since they had stepped onto the yacht. Dismissing the crew member with a thank you she waited for him to leave before returning her attention to Lauren. "I hope you like the food." She said glad for the interruption. _

_ "It looks delicious but it isn't going to deter me from wanting to know the rest of your story." Lauren said with a smile cutting up her chicken and taking a bite. It was a small taste of heaven. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and practically fell apart in her mouth, it was so tender._

_ "I can see by the look on your face that you are enjoying them meal." Faith smiled taking another sip of her champagne and moving her food around a bit on her plate. "Alright well let's see... my father as I said was very authoritative and he selected Marcus's wife for him. Marcus wanting to please our father was willing to marry her. He had no great affection for her and barely spent any time with her while they were engaged. I on the other hand spent a lot of time with her. She was beautiful, funny, and caring. She was too kind, too gentle a soul for my brother. They were married and soon my father turned his eye to me. He found me a husband who bore many of the same traits as my father. Unlike Marcus I balked. I had no desire to marry a overbearing male who would only replace my father in my life. I wanted more than a life of misery. So I left. I packed up my things and went on a solo tour of the world. I stayed away from home for years and learned not only about the world and it's people but about myself and my abilities. _

_ "When I finally returned home I was surprised to see a lot had changed. My brother had become my father and my father had moved to South America leaving my brother to rule in his stead. I was further surprised to see Marcus welcome me with open arms. I don't know if he actually missed me or if it was a show for the rest of the family. It didn't matter to me since I was actually happy to be home. I spent some time with the family and was reminded of how much I had missed them. Father had taken his most loyal supporters with him to South America which had left something of a gap in our family. Marcus did his best to fill that gap but there were many who were dissatisfied with his method of ruling. He didn't have as many supporters as father did, nor was he as old or as powerful as father. Sadly Marcus took a lot of his rage and frustration out on his wife. She didn't deserve it but she took it all in silence. It took me months before I realized what was happening. It took even longer for her to start confiding in me. She told me how terrible her marriage was. She cried profusely over her failure to produce an heir. We began spending more and more time together. Before either one of us knew what was happening we were falling in love with each other." Faith stopped her voice catching as she got lost in the memory._

_ "I'm guessing your brother found out?" Lauren asked when Faith's pause went on too long._

_ "Yes, he wasn't happy about it. He killed her in a fit of rage. He was mad with rage that night and he didn't stop with just his wife. He went after her family. I managed to save her family. That night I took them away along with those members of our family who were discontented with Marcus. The next day we were on our way to England and the next year we were on a ship to North America." Faith said softly avoiding some vital facts._

_ "I feel there is more to that story." Lauren said gently._

_ "There is a lot more to that story but I am not ready to share it all yet. Maybe one day we can revisit the topic but not today. The end of the story is that I took control of North America and have been caring for our family ever since. Marcus still rules a branch in Africa and my father has South America." Faith finished hoping Lauren's inquisitive mind would take a break for once. The main advantage to their relationship so far had been Lauren's distracted interest. It was clear that she had questions and on more than one occasion she had broached a sensitive topic. The blessing was that Lauren had been seriously preoccupied with Bo. "Now since I have shared and quite a bit I might add."_

_ "Not nearly enough." Lauren interrupted with a smile._

_ "Well enough for tonight. Digging into my past isn't as fun as talking about my favorite food, color, music, or painting. I know you want to get to know my past and I promise we will talk about it but only a little at a time. A lot of it is very hard to relive. Now as I was saying I am curious as to what had you in such a state earlier today. I know I came up with this little trip to distract you and you have been sufficiently distracted. I think we can now safely broach the topic." Faith said feeling only a little bad for bringing up Lauren's relationship with Bo. It was a distraction from Lauren's inquisition and she desperately needed to distract Lauren. _

_ Letting the silence fill the space between them Lauren finished her meal and put down her silverware. She wondered how to explain her thoughts, her feelings, and the events of the last week. Pausing in thought she realized the silverware was actual silver. She wondered why she was surprised considering she was on a yacht that probably cost more than most people made in a lifetime. Shifting her thoughts back to Faith she looked up at the beautiful woman who had entered her life when she needed someone the most._

_ "I'm confused." Lauren stated simply._

_ "Confused about anything in particular?" Faith questioned hoping to draw out the conversation._

_ "Everything. So much has changed since you walked into my life Faith. I am still confused. You know things haven't been easy with Bo. Frankly things have been really hard. I don't know where I stand with her anymore. I don't even know how I feel about her anymore." Lauren stopped surprised by the words that had slipped out of her mouth._

_ "This does sound serious." Faith said breaking the tension._

_ "It is." Lauren paused again thinking. "I love Bo. I love her desperately but I've come to realize over the last two weeks that I am not happy with Bo. I don't know if I ever expected to be her number one priority but I think I always expected to be a priority. I mean things were so different in the beginning and I don't mean when we first started dating." Looking away from Faith, Lauren paused as she saw the crew member come out to gather their plates. As the man walked away another came out with two smaller plates with a slice of tiramisu. Lauren was a bit surprised that Faith remembered it was her favorite. Thanking the man with a smile Lauren took a small bite and savored the taste. Like everything else she had tasted tonight the tiramisu was divine. "I don't know who your chief is but he or she deserves a raise." Lauren said finally opening her eyes and looking at Faith._

_ "Trust me, my chief is very well paid." Faith said lightly letting the silence settle and waited for Lauren to continue._

_ Taking one more bite Lauren shifted gears. "You know a couple of weeks ago I was given an award? I thought it was a big deal. I mean I am rather sequestered from humanity and I do my best to give back to the human world of science but I never really thought my work would be recognized. I don't work in a large research facility or an ivy league university. I work, in the eyes of humans, in a small pharmaceutical company. So getting that award was a really big deal for me. I was finally being recognized for something and I felt special. It has been so long since I have been recognized for my talents, for my skill, for myself. I wanted to share that moment with Bo. I wanted her to see me." Lauren said with emphasis."She agreed to go. I went out. I bought a dress. I did my hair. I spent the day preparing my speech. I then spent the night waiting for Bo. I called and I got angry and I got frustrated and I finally gave up. She never showed up. Do you know what's worse? She lied to me. She lied repeatedly about what was going on. She was off on a case which turned out to be her invitation to the Dawning and instead of telling me she lied. I would have understood. I would have accepted it as I have chokingly accepted everything else. I just want her to communicate with me. I want her to be honest with me._

_ "The worst part is I ended up spending the night talking to Isaac Taft. He actually went to the award ceremony and brought me my award. It's sad and pathetic that a stranger takes more interest in me than my own girlfriend. A stranger who by the way sets me on edge. He is just a little too knowledgeable about my work. I don't' know what it is about him that sets me off but Hale refuses to look him up which is also getting on my nerves." Lauren stopped mid rant and looked at Faith. "Could you look into him?" She thought of Faith's wealth and possible connections. "I'm sorry that was rather pretentious of me."_

_ "Don't apologize." Faith said thoughtfully. "I'll look in to him. If he is putting you on edge as you say, then there is probably a reason."_

_ "Thank you Faith." Lauren said reaching out and touching Faith's hand. "I'm so glad I have you." Lauren said wondering why there was a note of possessiveness in her voice. Pulling back her hand she felt lost for a minute, unsure of herself and her feelings. _

_ "You were saying about Bo?" Faith asked bringing Lauren out of her thoughts and back into the conversation._

_ "I was?" Shaking away her thoughts Lauren looked at Faith before shifting her attention to her desert. Taking another bite she tried to organize her thoughts. "I could have forgiven her leaving me stranded for my own award ceremony and I did, I do." She said trying to convince herself more than Faith. "I suppose you could say it was just another crushing blow among the many that have come over the last couple of months." Lauren stopped her mind flooded with images of Bo and Dyson. It was the real stain in her relationship with Bo; Dyson would always come first._

_ "Lauren?" Faith asked softly seeing the sadness cloud Lauren's face and the tears rise to the surface. Placing her hand over Lauren's, Faith stood up and pulled Lauren along with her. Faith let the silence linger as she guided Lauren to the top deck. The sun was setting and the top deck offered the best view. The only problem would be the wind but she knew Lauren wouldn't mind it. Along the way Faith stopped and ordered a coffee tray to be brought up. Settling Lauren down on the booth Faith took a seat beside her and waited patiently for Lauren to continue._

_ "Bo passed her Dawning and I should be happy for her...I am happy for her. I just...a part of me just wishes she hadn't passed it the way she did." Lauren said looking at Faith for comfort and understanding. "I mean...I think the reason she passed her Dawning ceremony was because of Dyson. He offered to sacrifice himself to help her survive it. He died in the temple and she broke all the rules, as usual, to bring him back out." Lauren looked out at the skyline and wished talking about it didn't hurt so much. "She forcefully pulled chi from all of us to bring him back." Shaking her head Lauren took a deep breath. "I don't want Dyson to die. I don't even want him seriously hurt but I didn't want her to take my chi to bring him back. He made his sacrifice and yes a part of me was glad that he would be out of the picture. What doesn't that say about me Faith? As I sat there in the Dal waiting to see if she would pass a part of me was overjoyed that I would never have to compete with Dyson again. When she brought him back to life it just cemented the fact that she is still very much in love with him and he's still in love with her." Now the tears were flowing freely and Lauren didn't even bother to wipe them away. "I am so tired of being in this triangle. I am so tired of not being enough for her. I am tired of not being equal. I'm so tired of being unhappy Faith." Lauren shifted and moved into Faith's waiting arms. Feeling Faith's arms wrap solidly around her shoulders Lauren lost control of her emotions and wept._

_ In her entire life Lauren could not remember crying as often as she had in the last couple of months. She felt as if she was constantly close to tears. She didn't understand why she was so emotional but she was glad that Faith had entered her life. She was glad to have someone who wanted to help her, to have someone who would listen to her, someone who would hold her and let her cry. It was freeing not to have to hold her emotions in, not to have to be so in control all the time._

Looking down at the test results Lauren remembered her day with Faith sailing Lake Ontario. The DNA tests proved several very important things. The first being that she was having a son. The second was that her son had no genetic defects and all chromosomes were normal. The third was that he was unlikely to survive . The test results were a little overwhelming and she desperately wished she could return to the yacht were thoughts of genetics and children were far from her mind. She wished for that simple happiness of being wrapped up in Faith's arms and knowing that someone cared for her.

Picking up the results she lit a Bunsen burner and burned it. She didn't want to reveal the results to Faith. She was barely ready to accept them let alone decide what to do now that she knew. She didn't know if Faith would pressure her to abort the child and she didn't' want to face that possible argument yet. She had done so much for this unborn child and the idea of losing him hurt. She had been careful in her first couple of months. She had drank and hadn't taken her vitamins and gotten beaten but the second she knew she had done everything she could think of to ensure her child would get a better life.

She wasn't going to abort him. If her body forced a miscarriage then she would accept that. If he died at birth she would force herself to accept that as well. She had less than six months to figure out a way to save him and she had the lab to do it in.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: still don't own anything.**

**Now to answer some questions:**

**yes this is going to go in the Faith/Lauren direction.**

**Yes there is a good chance that Bo will come back into the picture. **

**Yes I do want more reviews.**

**Yes I am grateful for all the reviews I have gotten.**

**So I hope you are liking where this is going. I'm going to do I think one more flash back then it's going to keep in the present.**

**Im too tired to really write a proper note. Thanks Cmiller, theoutlier, cheekymadom, and lgbish for your faithful reviews. I do truly appreciate them.**

**Thanks also to all of you who have favorited and follow this story. goodnight all. **

Entering the library Faith wasn't surprised to see Lauren pouring over several books. It had been a common sight over the last couple of days. Lauren's appetite for knowledge was truly insatiable. "Find out anything interesting?" Faith asked knowing that Lauren loved sharing knowledge.

"I doubt there is anything in here you don't already know." Lauren replied with a smirk.

"I may have read over the majority of the books in here but I don't have a photographic memory. I've been around way too long to actually remember everything I've read, heard, or even written." Faith said with a smile walking towards the table and looking over at Lauren's reading selection. "I see you have taken out your family tree."

"Yes, I'm rather impressed at how detailed it actually is." Lauren said deep in thought over the questions that had been rattling through her brain over the last couple of days. "I do have a couple of questions though." She started looking at Faith.

"I knew you would and I will answer to the best of my ability." Faith said taking a seat fully aware that she wouldn't enjoy the line of questioning.

"Why me?" Lauren asked simply.

"Beatrice I would give anything not to have to answer that question." Faith released a frustrated sigh. "No matter how I answer that question I doubt you will believe or understand my reasons. I can make it sound clinical and practical or I can be overly emotional in my response but I still know you won't like it."

"I would still like to know, all the reasons." Lauren said earnestly.

"You know I have avoided delving to deeply into my life in our little talks for a variety of reasons. One of course is that I am a lot older than you. I have lived several lifetimes. I have experienced the whole spectrum of human emotion and I am still surprised when I have to experience them all over again" Faith said shaking her head in frustration. "The reasons I chose you are varied but the main one is to fulfill a promise I made a long time ago."

"What promise?" Lauren asked confused at the strange turn in their conversation.

"We are not related but there is a connection between our families that goes back centuries. You are a descendant of someone I loved very much. I promised to take care of her family and overall I have succeeded. I cannot be blamed for the random deaths or the ravages of disease or the lack of children over the centuries but I have ensured each member lived a happy and fulfilled life. I have ensured that each child was educated, loved, and protected. No harm from vampire or Fae has come to any of the line until you. You were as wild as your father in your own way. You broke away from the mold and reached for more and found yourself a slave." Faith said telling only a partial truth.

"So you promised to take care of my family. It still doesn't explain all this?" Lauren said looking around the library. "It doesn't explain finding a body and getting someone to help me fake my own death. It doesn't explain all those times you found me and helped me, all our talks. I doubt you have been this involved in every member of my family's life." Lauren said with disbelief.

Moving towards the window Faith looked out and cursed how logical Lauren actually was. "No I haven't been this involved in every members life. I've taken the time to meet each one but my help, my guidance has always been from the sidelines." Faith responded refusing to look at Lauren.

"Then what makes me different?" Lauren asked moving towards Faith.

"You look just like her." Faith said simply turning around and starring at Lauren. "I don't know if you are her, if you are a reincarnation of her soul, or just a fluke in genetics. I can't explain it but when I first saw you I knew I wanted you." Faith said honestly.

"Who? The woman you made the promise too?" Lauren asked entranced by the look of longing Faith was giving her. Faith who always controlled her emotions looked raw with love and need.

"Yes, and I know you are not her. I am not crazy yet. I met you when you were twenty years old. I had expected you to finish your residency and then move on to a specialty. Instead you changed your name and went off to Iraq and then Afghanistan. When you returned you changed you name again and moved on to the Congo on that stupid grant, then you disappeared. It took years to find traces of you in the Congo. The Fae are rather reluctant to speak about their involvement with humans. I got bogged down for years in politics trying to find you, trying to negotiate for bits of information as to where you were. Then I found you. It was serendipitous really. The Fae had given me nothing and I came back to the states angry and dispirited. Then a political issue cropped up in my territory." Faith said looking back to the window, avoiding Lauren's gaze. "A female Fae had sought sanctuary in my territory and was attacked by her clan. I couldn't get her off of death row because it would breach too many human laws and trying to cover it up wasn't worth it. Instead I made a couple of calls and had a friend fake her death. While I was visiting the Morrigan to warn her if she ever sent her people into my territory again it would be a declaration of war, I heard of you. I spent the next year weaseling information out of both sides to be sure it was you."

"Why didn't you just go to the Light compound and see for yourself?" Lauren asked unsure of the politics between vampire and Fae. She had always assumed they were one and the same.

"I could have and it would have been within my rights considering you are Dhampir. However, I don't enjoy poking the Fae unnecessarily. The peace we have with them is secure and I enjoy it since it is one less thing for me to worry about. I have a clan of more than twenty thousand, not including human children, spouses, and Dhampir's to worry about. I am more than happy not to have to deal with the Fae as well." Faith said giving Lauren a slight smirk. "I also have human politics which I deal with on a regular basis. As long as the Fae keep themselves under the radar and don't expose us then they are allowed to govern themselves as they wish. "

"Alright" Lauren said interrupting Faith's explanation. "When you found out about me and you knew who I was why didn't you just get me?"

"I wanted you to come with us willingly." Faith paused weighing how much to tell Lauren. "If things had worked out differently. If you had wanted to stay with the Fae I would have let you. I would have also ensured your freedom. You are Dhampir and I would have claimed your heritage to the Ash. You would have been forced to make a choice though; you could either have come with us or you could have chosen a side among the Fae."

"But I am not Fae why would I have to chose a side?"

"Because you would be free. The Fae could not have a free human walking and working among them. You would have had to declare a side and you would be treated as Fae." Faith paused. "Some members of our clan have chosen to live among the Fae. You could say they are the bad seeds of the family. They wish to live a life without all of our restrictions so they take on the restrictions of the Dark Fae." Faith said knowing Lauren understood that the Dark Fae had very few restrictions.

Moving away from Faith, Lauren shook her head a little before returning to her seat. Looking at Faith she wished she hadn't asked her question since it left her with only more questions. "So you picked me because I am a descendent of someone you clearly loved. I look like her so you are infatuated with me. However, you claim that even if I hadn't decided to go with you, that you would have freed me and given me a choice of how to live my life." Lauren stated though the last part came out with just enough of a lilt to sound like a question.

"If you had wanted, if you still want you can return to the Fae." Faith said before turning around and looking Lauren in eyes. "I may have desired you because of who you look like but I fell in love with you for who you are."

Looking down Lauren felt herself flush. Pushing herself up from the chair she looked briefly at Faith before walking out of the library. Her emotions were in a whirlwind from Faith's declaration and from everything that had come before it.

Walking down the halls of the mansion towards the lab she wondered what had made her decide to go with Faith? She wasn't sure. She had made so many of her decisions without thinking too deeply about it. She never questioned what Faith really wanted. She never asked about Faith's life, or about what Faith actually was. She entered a new life with new expectations without thought or real consideration. She accepted Faith's offer of marriage and children in exchange for protection from the Fae and now she wondered why. She tried to blame her hormones. She tried to blame her desperation for freedom. She tried to blame anything except for the fact that she felt more for Faith than she wanted to. She started this new life with Faith because Faith had changed her life. Faith had been there for her emotionally when no one else was.

_Lauren felt drained. The last week had been tumultuous at best and despondent at its worst. Secrets had been revealed and relationships had ended and futures had been decided all within a week. She never expected so much could happen in a week. She never expected that everything she would learn in that one week would change the whole outlook of her life. _

_ "Again with the deep thoughts." Faith said taking a seat next to Lauren inside the small gazebo._

_ "It seems to be the only thing I do huh?" She asked her eyes unwilling or unable to look away from the roses._

_ "Do you want to talk about it?" Faith asked unsure of the pensive mood Lauren was in._

_ "I'm not sure where to begin...so much has happened I feel a little lost." Lauren said her voice sounding far away._

_ "Clearly something has happened." Faith said hoping it was enough to prompt Lauren into explaining her current mood. _

_ "A lot has happened. I broke up with Bo and I'm pregnant." Lauren said simply. She was internally impressed that the whole week could in fact be compressed into a simple sentence._

_ Starring at Lauren, Faith wondered how to respond. She wasn't sure how to consol considering she was unsure as to how Lauren felt about either topic. "Are congratulations or condolences in order?" _

_ "Honestly I'm not sure yet. It all happened so fast."_

_ "Do you want to talk about it?"Faith asked getting into a comfortable position in preparation for a long conversation. _

_ "No, I want to go for a walk." Lauren said getting up and moving away from Faith._

_ Obligingly Faith stood and began to follow. Knowing Lauren as well as she did, Faith let silence fill the space between them. She wasn't sure how Lauren was feeling about the pregnancy and she didn't know how much to reveal about the topic. What she did know was that Lauren would talk about whatever was bothering her when she was ready and not a moment before. Sliding her shades further up her nose to block out the sun Faith silently glided along the path next to Lauren. She let her eyes wander over the flowers in the garden and thought of her own homes and her own gardens. She picked out the flowers she recognized and tried to recall which had medicinal properties and which were used as ingredients in perfumes._

_ It surprised her at times how much the world had changed and how much was still the same. Lost in the past and in her own mind Faith almost missed Lauren's intake of breath. "Did you learn anything about Taft?" Lauren asked her in a soft wounded voice._

_ Looking over at beautiful woman at her side Faith released a breath and inhaled before speaking. "I did and I think you are right to be suspicious. He is a genius of the first order but something of a sociopath I think. He was institutionalized as a kid under the suspicion of murdering his brother. I took the liberty of looking into the case and the autopsy photos and I am pretty sure it was a Fae. Once released from the institution Isaac made his fortune rather quickly and soon invested a good portion of it into pharmaceutical companies. He did it at the right time too considering humanity's sudden desire to live as long as possible. Every person over the age of fifty is on at least two prescriptions now a days. The older they get the more prescriptions they're on. His resources are nearly as expansive as mine. If he is looking into you it has to be for a reason. The man has never acquired anything he didn't know how to use and exploit. Whatever secrets you have in your past he will find them and he will use them to get to you." Faith said looking at Lauren for some type of reaction. Seeing only a slight frown Faith began to worry._

_ "I suppose I expected something along those lines." Lauren said coming to a stop in the middle of a small bridge. Mildly she wondered why Botanical gardens seemed to find it necessary to put in a bridge. Leaning over the railing she considered what she had learned and what had happened over the last week._

_ Knowing that there was no point in trying to pull information out of Lauren, Faith just leaned against the railing and waited. Looking over the railing at the muddy waters below she admired the large fish swimming languidly. Their size alone said they were well fed by the tourists and the local visitors. Their flashing colors of orange, white, red, and yellow created an alluring image within to get lost._

_ "I told Bo we need to take a break but I think, no I'm sure, that we are actually over. I've come to some startling revelations over the last week. The main one is that I can't trust Bo anymore. I love her deeply to the point where it almost hurts but I can't trust her. She keeps putting herself into dangerous situations; situations that will require her to heal through sex. I can't spend the rest of my life watching her take one person after another into her bed. I can't stand on the sidelines and pretend it isn't happening. I especially can't involve a child in that kind of relationship." Lauren paused shifting her attention from the horizon to Faith. "I can't think of a way to explain to my child that it is acceptable that my significant other takes stranger to her bed. At this moment I can't even explain to myself how I conceived this child. I don't know how it happened. I don't even know who the father is and I am a little flabbergasted on how it all happened." She paused again to catch her breath and think of how to broach her next topic. "I need a way out Faith. I need to be free of the Fae. I won't raise my child among them. I won't let my child grow up thinking it is less because it is human." She looked imploringly at Faith hoping for some kind of salvation. _

_ Looking away from Lauren, Faith released a pent up sigh. She didn't want things to come about this way. She wanted Lauren to turn to her willingly, not because she was desperate. Yet she was unwilling to let the opportunity to have Lauren pass her by. Turning her attention back to Lauren she tried to work out in her mind how to phrase her proposal. "How free do you want to be Lauren?" She asked softly, knowingly._

_ "My name isn't Lauren Lewis." Lauren admitted, seeing no shocked reaction from Faith she continued. "I'm guessing you already knew that. Should I suppose that you did a background check on me while you were looking for Isaac?" She asked feeling a touch of annoyance flare deep in her belly._

_ "No, I've known who you were for a long time already and I didn't have to do any research to find out." Faith said keeping her voice and face emotionless. "What would you give to be free of the Fae?" Faith asked hating the direction the conversation was going in._

_ "I don't have much to give. I've already given my freedom to the Fae. What do I have left?" Lauren asked disliking the question._

_ "Would you give your life?" Faith asked softly._

_ Taking a step away from Faith, Lauren wished there were a couple of people walking through the gardens. Instead there was no one around and it didn't look like anyone was coming around a bend any time soon._

_ "Stop." Faith said softly. "I have no intention of killing you. You are not Lauren Lewis so the only way to be free of the Fae is to kill Lauren Lewis. You can return to your original identity. The only problem becomes how to go about killing Lauren." Faith said keeping her body relaxed and nonaggressive. _

_ Looking at Faith, Lauren considered the idea. A part of her hated leaving the identity she had taken on. Killing Lauren Lewis meant leaving behind everything in a very final way. There would be no returning to Bo. There would be no Fae and no research. The main deterrent in the idea was losing Bo. If she killed Lauren Lewis it would mean never seeing Bo again. It would also mean hurting Bo with her death. It would mean forcing everyone she cared about and everyone who cared about her to feel the grief and pain of losing her._

_ However, the idea of being free of the Fae for the rest of her life was appealing. She had no desire to live out her existence as a slave, nor did she intend that lifestyle for her child. Thinking over her options she realized that she would rather cause temporary grief to her few 'friends' then give her unborn child a life of servitude. "What would I have to give you in exchange for this? For my life back?" She asked knowing everything had a price._

_ "What I want you would have to give willingly. I will give you your freedom Lauren. I will give you your life back if you ask it of me." Faith said hesitating over the topic._

_ "What would you want?" Lauren asked feeling a twinge of anxiety._

_ "I would want you as my wife." Faith said simply hoping she was able to keep her composure calm and collected._

_ "What?" Lauren asked feeling as if someone had just given her proof that the world was flat and that god existed._

_ "I will offer you my protection if you become a member of my family. As my wife you will have all the protection of my name and of my title. You will want for nothing, no shall your child. As my wife you will never have to worry about the Fae and what they might do to you. You will be free in all ways." Faith said smoothly._

_ "You want me to marry you?" Lauren asked baffled by the request. "Why would you want to marry me? I'm in love with Bo. I'm having a child who is not yours. I'm a slave to the Fae." Lauren said her voice raising with each question._

_ "I've come to care for you very deeply Lauren and I would offer you your freedom regardless of your agreement to marry me. I would like you to consider it though. I can give you a good life." Faith paused hoping Lauren would really consider her proposal of marriage regardless of how unromantic it had been. "If you want to be free of the Fae I can arrange it."_

_ "How?" Lauren asked deciding to put the impromptu proposal in the back of her mind to be dealt with later and focus on the objective. "How would you free me?"_

_ "As I said I would have Lauren Lewis killed. It is the easiest way to get you off the Fae's radar. The how would be through Taft. If he is looking at you there is a reason and I think we can use that reason to our advantage." Faith said accepting Lauren's unspoken desire not to address the proposal._

_ "Okay." Lauren said simply moving off the bridge and continuing doing the path. She had a lot of questions but they could all wait until after she was free. When she was free of the Fae she would ask Faith about the real reasons behind her marriage proposal. She would ask how and why all of this had really come about._


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Own something? God no, but don't I wish.**

**So this chapter was actually inspired by Lgbish and a bit from cheekymadom along with a very long two days involving long meetings and two hour flights. It's my first version of Bo so please be gently. Thanks for the inspiration you two it's always good to have.**

**On the comments about the Faith/Lauren thing well all I can really say is that I love the doccubus but and I stress the BUT, Bo clearly wasn't in it. She's been rather MIA in her relationship (I blame the writers of course) for a good portion of the season. She gave more of a crap about Lauren in season two then she did in season three. I was rather disappointed. I don't know how many of you actually agree with that but it's what inspired this bit.**

**I'm not saying Bo isn't going to end up with Lauren in one form or another in the future. I've never been the biggest fan of monogamy and clearly BO isn't physically capable of it. So there is the possibility of a polygamous relationship in the far future. However, as it is I still think Bo needs to grow and mature a little. For someone who is thirty and change she acts on more than one occasion more like a teenager or earlier twenty something. Her trials have been more physical rather than emotional and I think she needs to develop a little more before she can find her way back to Lauren. If she ever does. **

**Anyways I am sorry for the rant and the long time between chapters. Life does get in the way of hobbies does it not? So here is my thanks to all of you who have taken the time to review. It is greatly appreciated and I am sure every author on this site will say the same thing. We don't get paid and this is just for fun for most of us. The simple reviews help us keep going and the in-depth ones inspire. So thanks again and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Next we return to Lauren.**

Bo stared off into the darkness. It was like nothing she had ever seen or experienced. It was eternal and absolute. Releasing another sigh of frustration she slowly edged forward. It felt as if an eternity had passed by as she stepped further and further into the abyss. Part of her wondered where she was going or if she was actually going anywhere. The darkness was so complete she didn't know if she was moving towards or away from something.

Releasing a frustrated scream she sat down. She had been walking for hours or days and she hadn't seen a thing. She didn't know where she was but she knew she was in trouble if she didn't find a way out of it. She was hungry, she was thirty, and her need to feed was increasing with ever minute that passed by.

"You are so much more than I expected." A deep voice said somewhere out in the darkness. She recognized the voice immediately even though she had never encountered it's owner.

"Why am I here?" She asked feeling a touch of anger spark in her veins.

"Why do you think?" The darkness asked a hint of amusement clearly evident.

"If I had even a slight clue I don't think I would be asking." She replied snarkily.

"You have your mother's temperament. She was always impetuous. It's that fire that got her into so much trouble." The darkness said calmly.

"You still haven't answered my question; WHY AM I HERE?" She shouted into the darkness wishing she could pinpoint the exact location of the voice.

"You are here because you belong to me. You are a part of me. I waited lifetimes for you. I searched the world for you. I never would have thought you would find your way back to your grandfather." The voice paused as if in thought. "I suppose I should be grateful that you are so much like you mother. If you had chosen a side and kept under the radar I probably never would have found you."

"Why were you even looking for me?" Bo asked her curiosity getting the better of her anger.

"You are my daughter." The voice said simply as if that explained everything. "You are the key to all of my dreams, all of my plans."

"Why would you think I would follow along with your plans? I don't know. I'm definitely not going to let you use me like all the Fae want to." She snapped.

"I don't want to you use you Isabeau. I want you to join me as you have always been destined to. I want you to help me in uniting the Fae. I want a world where there is no Light and there is no Dark. Where our people are no longer in a tepid truce that could lead to war in a blink of an eye. I want a world where the Fae are free, are open."

Staring into the darkness Bo couldn't help but want some of the same things. The only problem was she didn't know how this stranger would bring it all about. "How would the Fae be free?" She asked knowing that every system needed a form of order, a form of government and guidance. As much as she would like the Fae to be united the idea of them being unleashed on humanity without restrictions was horrifying.

"We would united them Isabeau." The darkness said emphatically.

Shaking her head Bo closed her eyes seeing no point in staring into nothing. "I don't want to rule the Fae." She said softly knowing that she didn't have the means of the knowledge to guide the Fae.

"Who says you have a choice?" The voice asked.

Hearing the truth in those simple words Bo felt her body shake. The darkness felt as if it was closing in and soon there was nothing. No thought, no feeling, and no sensation. There was only the darkness and the emptiness.

Opening her eyes Bo stared at the floor. Taking a moment to feel her body she knew that she was lying down on a cool hardwood floor. The smell of stale beer and old alcohol lingered in the air. It was a familiar scent and she knew without having to look around that she was back in the Dal. She wasn't sure what had happened or how it had happened but she knew something had happened. The memory of the voice and the darkness were still fresh in her mind causing a shiver to ripple down her spine. If the voice had belonged to her father then she knew she had a very real reason to be afraid. For all the gentleness and kindness in the voice there was darkness and steel behind it.

She didn't know the details behind her conception and abandonment but she knew that she needed to find out. If her father intended to use her, she knew it would be for nothing good. If he wanted control of the Fae she would not be his method of getting it. She had no desire to rule the Fae. She wasn't her mother and she was certain after her brief encounter that she was nothing like her father either. She didn't seek power and control. She just wanted a touch of normalcy. She wanted love, happiness, and a place that felt like home.

Pushing herself up she felt her hunger roar up. She was starving. Looking around at the disaster that was the Dal she wondered how long she had been in the darkness. Was it a matter of minutes, seconds, hours? She wasn't sure but her hunger made her feel as if she had been gone for weeks. Brushing off her clothes of glass and dirt she moved towards the door. The bar was clearly empty and she needed to find someone to satisfy her hunger.

Walking out of the Dal and into the darkened streets she was glad. Moving towards the night clubs and bars she smiled. The closer she got the more she could feel the pulse of desire thrumming through the dark streets. It was a teasing scent of perfume delighting her senses and arousing her hunger. In a near daze she moved towards a club with a small line outside waiting to get in. Brushing her hand along the bouncers arm she walked into the club with a smile. She knew she looked a little ragged and beaten but the joy of being a succubus meant that no one ever noticed what she really looked like. Her sexuality was a draw that overrode her appearance more often than not.

Sliding onto the dance floor she let her body move to the beat and soon she had a group of guys and a couple of girls swarming around her. They were all caught up in her haze of sexual hunger. Brushing her hand along one hand, over one cheek, across an arm, along a hip, she fueled their desire and increased their level of lust. Soon there were a mass of arms touching and caressing her body tuning her own lust. It felt like rain on a parched desert to feel their want, their need. Sliding her hands around one man of medium height and brown hair she pulled him close and pressed her lips to his. Taking a sip of his chi she felt her body shiver in delight. Releasing the dazed and enchanted man she moved on to a slight slip of a woman with auburn hair and green eyes. Her desired increased and she smiled as she pulled the woman close. Their bodies touched from hip to breast creating a near aching need between her legs. Taking a deeper taste of the auburn haired beauty Bo smiled and released her moving on to another member of her little harem. Selecting a tall blonde male she let her body wrap itself around him enjoying the feel of strong muscle and masculinity. Sliding her hands through his hair she pulled his lips to hers and kissed him deeply. He tasted of alcohol, something strong with a deep woody flavor. Smiling into the kiss she pulled away a little taking his chi with her. She was nearly full one more taste and she would be satiated. Moving along the circle she found a blonde and her heart skipped a beat. The blonde's aura burned brightly with desire. Sliding her fingers into the blonde's hand she pulled her closer. Caressing the blondes cheek she smiled and kissed her softly taking small sips of Chi.

Pulling the blonde towards the VIP section Bo pulsed a rush of desire through the bouncer in front of the VIP room. With a smile the bouncer moved aside and opened the partially translucent curtain back. Returning the smile Bo guided the blonde towards one of the plush couches. Pressing her lips to the blondes she sat down pulling the blonde onto her lap. It felt wonderful to hold a woman again. It felt even nicer to caress her hands and fingertips across satiny skin. Slipping her hands lower Bo stroked the woman's breasts. Perk nipples strained through layers of fabric to greet her palm. Smiling into the kiss Bo pulled back looking into green eyes. Her frown slipping she remembered that the eyes she wanted to look into were brown. The skin she wanted to caress reminded her of silk. The perfume that teased her senses was too flowery. It wasn't the slight mix of musk and spice that she had come to associate with home.

Feeling as if she had been doused with ice water Bo shifted the blonde off her lap and made her apologies. She needed to find Lauren. She needed to make sure Lauren was okay regardless of the stupid decision Lauren had recently made. She was still angry, she was still confused, but she was still in love.

Walking out of the club she left behind her disappointed admirers and made her way back to the Crack Shack. The walk took longer than she had expected and by the time she arrived the sky was lightening. Part of her wondered why she hadn't simply called Dyson or Hale or Kenzi. She had a network of friends to rely on and when she needed them she didn't think to contact any of them. Looking back towards the Dal she wondered why she was going home. Wasn't she supposed to meet Tamsin at the Dal? Her mind felt foggy. Her memories felt distorted as if it had all happened a long time ago. The urgency to see everyone had dimmed and had nearly disappeared. Shaking her head to free her confusing thoughts she opened the door of the house and wondered where her cell phone had gone.

"Kenzi?" She called out hoping her best friend would have some answers. "Kenzi are you here?" She called out louder moving into the living room. It was empty and the TV was turned off which was a rarity if Kenzi was home. Walking upstairs she knocked gently on Kenzi's door then opened it. What she found was something of a shock. Kenzi lay curled up under the sheets with a partially naked Hale. She suspected he was completely naked since she couldn't see under the sheets.

Wondering if it was worth it to wake up the new lovers she weighed her need for information versus her need for sleep. Deciding she needed to know what was going on more she called out Kenzi's name. She wasn't surprised to see her best friend pop up the sheet falling down to her waist revealing a lot more breast than she wanted to see. Turning around Bo waited for Kenzi to stop squealing and then screaming and then putting on a shirt. The sharp smack on her arm was all the notice she needed to know Kenzi and Hale were decent. Turning around to Kenzi's outraged face Bo smiled.

"Where the heck have you been? I've looked everywhere for you, so has Hale and Dyson. What the F happened?" Kenzi practically shouted wrapping her arms around herself defensively.

"I'm not sure really. I mean Tamsin and I went to the compound and freed the Fae. I told Tamsin I would meet her at the Dal with the others and then ... nothing." She said unsure if she wanted to share her new found knowledge with anyone until she had spoken to Trick. "Where is Tamsin? Why didn't she get Dyson and meet me at the Dal? Where is Trick?" She asked thinking that finding her grandfather sooner rather than later would be wise.

"He's in Ireland with Stella. Dyson's returned home and Tamsin didn't survive the accident." Hale answered staring at Bo as if he had never seen her.

"When did all of this happen?" Bo asked feeling confused.

"Trick left while everything was going down. I sent him off with Stella so he would be safe from all the political mayhem that was going on. Dyson got into a car accident with Tamsin not long after he got out of the compound and Tamsin didn't make it." He said avoiding mentioning Lauren.

"What about Lauren?" Bo asked noticing that Hale refused to address the topic of Lauren.

Looking at Kenzi, Hale considered how to broach such a delicate topic. Receiving a shrug from Kenzi he wished they were better at silent communication. Releasing a sigh of frustration he looked at Bo. "From what Dyson told me she performed a risky operation on Taft making him into a hybrid Fae. What she failed to tell Taft was that she turned him into a hybrid Cabbit, not a hybrid wolf. After the procedure was over and Taft was gone she released Dyson and told him to do what was necessary. He didn't see her get out and he isn't sure what happened to her after he left." He paused unsure of how to continue with the terrible news. "Once I wrapped things up with the Morrigan and the Elders I found the compound and ordered it searched. Someone had practically burned the place down. There were a few bodies of which we identified. One was a Fae Cabbit and the rest were human." Looking at Bo he apologized with his eyes. "One of those humans was Lauren." He stated softly knowing there was no real way to soften the blow.

Staring at Hale, Bo heard the words, she heard them over and over in her head and failed to understand. "How? When I left she was alive. She was fine. How did it happen? When did it happen? Where is she?" She asked the desperation coming through in her voice with every question.

"The doctor said she died from blunt force trauma about three weeks ago. I had her buried at Shady Oaks cemetery." Hale said as gently as possible.

Leaning against the wall Bo tried to get her bearing. It felt as if her whole world had turned upside down in a matter of seconds. Lauren was dead. Tamsin was dead. Trick was gone. And three weeks had passed without her knowing. A sense of guilt washed over her as she thought of her last moment with Lauren. It had been bitter and sweet. She didn't understand why Lauren had chosen to work for Taft. She didn't understand why Lauren had betrayed everyone. Looking at the guilt clouding Hale's face she stood up straight. "Why Hale? Why was she working for Taft?" She asked feeling deep in her gut that Hale knew the truth.

"She's the only one who suspected that Taft was up to something nefarious. When she first came to me about it I brushed her off. She came to me again when the bodies showed up and we struck a deal. She was sure Taft was behind the murders. I wasn't so sure but I needed any help I could get in figuring out what was going on. She agreed to work for Taft and find out if he was the one behind the mutilated Fae. In exchange for her service she would be freed from the Fae. Once she was in we could no longer communicate but I trusted what she was doing and I knew she would destroy Taft. She managed to and my last act as Ash was to give her, her freedom." Hale finished unable to express how sorry and devastated he had been since he had found Lauren.

Turning around Bo walked out of the room ignoring the shouts of worry behind her. Walking out of the house and towards the cemetery she felt as if she was in a daze. The information she had received swarmed around her brain reminding her of all the ways she had failed. She hadn't meant to leave Lauren behind. She hadn't mean to always turn away and move on to the next problem.

Wandering through the cemetery it didn't take her long to find Lauren's grave. It was no longer fresh but only a light dusting of grass had grown over. Sitting down next to the grave, staring at the headstone she breathed deeply feeling the tears rising to the surface. "I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry you died so unhappy with me, with us. I'm sorry I will never get the chance to fix things between us. Oh god Lauren I'm so sorry." Bo sobbed feeling her heart break as the tears and pain overwhelmed her.

"I never noticed it was always about me. I don't know what that says about me but I just never noticed." Taking a deep breath Bo let her hand caress the headstone. "You always just made everything so easy. You always focused so much of yourself on me it was so easy to forget that you needed things, that you needed attention." Wiping the tears running down her cheeks she let out a sob and reined in another. "I'm sorry I never noticed how much you needed me. I'm sorry I didn't make it more about you." Hugging her knees to herself Bo thought back to everything she had planned.

"I wanted so much more for us. I thought if I gave you enough space you would eventually be ready to have me back in your life. I never thought I wouldn't get that chance." Tracing out the letters of Lauren's name she smiled softly. "I should have fought harder for you. I should have made more of an effort to show you how much I wanted you regardless of the fact that you wanted a break. I should have showed you how important you are to me. I should have shown you how much I love you." Tracing out the dates she couldn't hold back the sob that wracked her body. She had missed Lauren's funeral. She had missed her chance to save Lauren."Please babe, please come back." She whispered leaning against the headstone wishing it was Lauren she was leaning against.

"I could bring her back." That voice said as it stepped out from behind a large angelic monument.

Startled Bo turned to the voice she knew so well. The voice that echoed through the darkness. Standing up she stared at the man she knew was her father. Looking at his dark hair, sharp features, and blue eyes she knew she was looking at a masculine version of herself. He was tall, dressed finely in a pin stripped grey suit with a vest and blue tie. The cane in his right hand looked more like a decoration than a necessity. "You can't bring her back. She's been gone too long and I know if you do she won't be the same. You can fix the body but you can't bring my Lauren back." Bo said sharply unsure how she knew the truth behind her words.

"How do you know Isabeau? Wouldn't you like to have her back?" Her father said seductively.

"Not as you would bring her. Not as I would bring her either." She paused looking at the headstone. "I've brought someone back from the threshold of death but this isn't the same. She's been gone for weeks, not minutes or hours. Whatever else is out there after death, she's already on that journey."

"Who says there is anything after death? Who says that world, that realm isn't part of my power?" He asked seriously looking at his daughter with softening eyes.

"Then I doubt she would appreciate being taken from whatever peace she has found." Bo replied thinking of that possible peace.

"What about her child? Do you think she would return for the sake of her child?" He asked walking towards the grave stopping short of stepping on the new grass.

Startled Bo stared at her father as if he had grown three heads and told her that the world was flat. "You don't know what you are talking about." She said softly, angrily.

"Of course I do. I've been circling around you for the last couple of months. I took the time to learn everything I could about you. I even took the time to read the coroner's report on you little human. She was twelve weeks pregnant. Didn't she tell you?" He asked knowing Lauren had never said a word. "I guess you weren't as careful as you should have been were you?" His smile twisted into a partial sneer. It was obvious he held a great distaste for human/fae relationships.

"I don't believe you. I have no reason to believe you." Bo replied confused by his last comment.

"Why would I lie? I have never had a reason to lie. I always make my intentions clear. I could bring her back. I could bring her child back. I make no false propositions on that front or any other." He said taking a step closer to Bo avoiding stepping on the grave.

"How do you know all this?" She asked feeling overwhelmed by the information.

"I care about you. I waited so long to have you, longer than I thought anyone should ever have to wait. I didn't think you would be able to do this? Not at your age." He said pointing towards the grave.

"Do what exactly?"

"I didn't think you would be able to impregnate you're human." He said with a reprimanding sneer. "It isn't wrong per say but it is a abomination of our species. We are a superior race and our purity depends on our ability to differentiate between ourselves and humans. We play with them, we eat them, we teach them, but we don't breed with them." He stepped away moving to the other side of the grave to take a closer look at the headstone. "I know she was exceptional but she was still human. It just isn't done Isabeau. You would have known better if your mother hadn't been so impetuous as usual." He released a disappointed sigh shaking his head before looking back at his daughter. "I have such high hopes for you. You have a lot to learn before we are able to start."

"I can't...I mean there isn't a way for me to...how could I have?" She asked flabbergasted.

"It's part of who you are, what you are. I don't know if the child was yours or one of your other lovers but you were the facilitator sort to speak." He said casually as if it was common knowledge and perhaps it was for all Bo knew. "Still it's just not done. The humans thought you kind did that more often than not but really only the rebellious children ever tried it. Incubus on the other hand have always had the propensity for playing around with humans and creating random half breeds. Thankfully there are few Incubus left." A slight shudder racked through his body as if he were truly repulsed.

Staring blankly at her father she knew the world he wanted wasn't one she would want to live in. His words, his body language told her he had a great dislike of humans and considered them to be the inferior species. Shaking her head at his arrogance and lack of foresight she looked at the grave. "I don't know what you thought to achieve by coming here but I can promise you, you have wasted your time. I'll never help you bring order or unity as you say, to the Fae. I may not like how they are now but I doubt I could stomach what you would make them into. I chose the humans a long time ago and that decision isn't going to change anytime soon."

"Who says you will have a choice?" He asks before enveloping her in darkness again.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Well I am surprised by some of the comment and reviews. They have been rather interesting to read and occasionally reread. So I guess with the current views that I will keep this story to a monogamous. I do agree that Lauren was ill treated in the season and I have no doubts that she will continue to be treated rather ill. I also agree that Bo did not try very hard to work at her relationship with Lauren. Sex for her is fun and she does seem to reveal in it. We have seen her feed without sex and their is no real in book statement that she can't heal without sex. She needs desire and sexual energy which most strip clubs have plenty of. She could go in there and have a ready buffet at any time but she doesn't.

Hell I clearly have enough qualms otherwise I wouldn't be writing a new relationship for Lauren. What can I say I am a Lauren fan. So yes things are progressing in the Lauren Faith relationship and yes I will eventually reintroduce Bo. In what respect? I don't know. However, I don't think there is a Bo/Lauren future. At least not within the next couple of centuries and really I am not writing that far ahead.

So thank you to those who have read this and an ever greater thanks for those who have offered up their thoughts and opinions. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

"Good morning Beatrice." Faith's familiar voice entered the room moments before she did.

"You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." Lauren called back as she ran into the bathroom.

"We don't need luck." The smug reply was issued as a tray was placed on the small two person table. "Plus I didn't think you would be the type to believe in luck?" Faith queried as she turned to look around the room for Lauren. "Are you really going to hide in the bathroom until I leave?"

"Faith I might forego the traditional for the scientific more often than not but I did grow up dreaming of my wedding day. It went into the background when I was introduced to science but I still dreamed of it. Part of that dream was following tradition so no seeing the bride before the ceremony." Lauren admonished while partially closing the bathroom door.

"We are hardly traditional." Faith scoffed and smiled. "But if you want to follow tradition than that is what we shall do. The ceremony will start in two hours. Should I send someone in to help you with you coiffure or dress?"

"Ariel will be in soon to help me with my dress." Lauren called out feeling a little impatient. "So go finish getting ready."

"I am ready. I brought you something to eat. Since I am not allowed by tradition to sit here and make sure you eat, I want you to promise that you will." Faith said moving back to the door and waiting for a reply.

"I promise. I will eat as much as I can stomach."

"Not exactly the promise I was hoping for but I guess it will have to do." Pausing Faith stared at the bathroom door wondering how she could fully express what she was feeling. Releasing a frustrated sigh she closed the door and made her way to her study.

Making her way straight to the liquor cabinet Faith pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a glass. Pouring out two fingers she placed the glass to her lips and contained her urge to gulp the whole thing down.

"Nervous?" A voice said softly from the doorway. Turning to the door Faith spotted Liam, her best friend and most loyal companion. They had met in England while Liam was terrorizing the citizens of London, Dublin and occasionally Edinburgh . He was the bad wild child who toed the line of reckless and evil. Looking at him now it was hard to believe he had murdered his entire family after his turning ceremony.

"No, not really." Faith said taking another small sip.

"So why are you drinking?"

"I suppose I am a little nervous." Pausing she took a seat behind her desk. "I'm not worried about getting married. I'm worried about Beatrice."

"Why? You know we will accept her. She is part of the family as it is, she is one of us." Looking at Faith, Liam speculated. "Are you afraid of her turning ceremony? That is months away not until after her child is born." Seeing Faith stiffen slightly. " Or are you worried about the child? Are you having doubts about keeping it? Are you worried that she will return to its father? Or that you won't be able to accept it?"

Shaking her head Faith refused to admit that some of Liam's questions hit a little too close to home. She was worried about Beatrice. She was worried that Beatrice spent too much time working in the lab trying to find an answer to a question Faith still didn't know. It was that question that plagued Faith. She watched Beatrice pushing for something and she had no idea what it was or how to help her. She had thought a bond had formed between them but now Beatrice's secrecy made her doubt.

Another part of her worried about the child as well and how that child was affecting Beatrice. She was still suffering from morning sickness and didn't eat nearly enough. She worried that the family wouldn't accept a child fathered by a Fae. The traditional Fae were tolerated, they were not welcome. The few Fae clans that lived within her territory swore loyalty only to her and rescinded their Fae status. They still weren't welcomed with smiles and open arms. They were accepted with a grudging respect that Faith had worked years to achieve. Could the family accept the child? After everything Faith had promised could she accept a child that wasn't her own? Shaking away those thoughts Faith took another sip of whiskey happy for the slight burn.

"I suppose it is only pre-wedding jitters. I'll get over them soon enough." Taking another longer sip Faith looked at Liam. He was her best friend and most loyal companion. On more than one occasion they had toed the line of friend and lover. There was enough chemistry between them that the attraction was occasionally palatable. The day she had found Beatrice was the day their possible romantic relationship had come to an end. Thankfully he never took her turning from him as a form of rejection.

"Will your wife be attending the ceremony?" She asked hoping to change the subject.

"You know she is not my wife yet." Liam said with a slight sneer. "Nor will I allow you to annoy me into letting the subject matter go. If you are having doubts about this child I recommend you get them out in the open now." Moving towards the liquor cabinet Liam took out a bottle of brandy.

"I'm sorry." Faith said feeling awful for bringing up Liam's tenuous situation with the woman he loved. Liam's history had been sordid and his deeds despicable, but she had never thought he deserved the punishment he set for himself. His penitence through chastity, humility and poverty were unnecessarily extreme. The fact that he refused to allow himself the comfort of the woman he truly loved was worse. He pinned for her in a way that made Faith's teeth hurt. But nothing she could say or do could convince him to give up his penitence and take the woman he loved so deeply for the few years they would have together.

"There is no need to apologize." Liam said on a sigh pouring out a finger's worth of whiskey. Taking a small sip he savored the taste before looking at his best friend. "I may never have met your son but I know he wasn't yours by blood. If you were able to raise a child not of your own flesh or connected to you in any substantial manner then why can't you raise this one. I know you loved your son and I know you mourn him till this day. It has been over a two centuries since he left and still I see the shadow of regret fill your eyes at the loss."

"I know" Taking another sip Faith thought back to the son of her heart. "I didn't expect to love him so much. I didn't expect to want children. Nor did I really expect I would be able to raise the son of my best friend and worst enemy. Things were so complicated back then. They still are I suppose."

"Exactly my point though. You raised and loved a child who had no connection to you. Don't you think you will love this child even more since you love it's mother so deeply? Ammon was your son and you were his mother. This child will be as much yours as it will be Beatrice's. I know you will love it. I know you will do all you can for the sake of this child." Pausing Liam took another sip of his whiskey. "I am I instilling any sense of confidence in you in regards of becoming a parent again? Or do you still doubt your ability to love the child of a stranger?"

"Ammon's mother was a stranger to me as well. I had seen her only on the day she gave birth; the day she died." Faith said remembering back to that night filled with screams and terror and blood.

"If you didn't know her than why take her child?" Liam asked curious as to what was making Faith open up about this rather private topic. The only reason he knew of her son was because of the portrait that hung in her office. He had asked about it once thinking it was her father or husband and was surprised to find she had a grown son. There were other portraits of Ammon as a child throughout the other mansions all hanging in a place of honor in Faith's study or office.

"Because I loved his father like a brother and sometimes something more. I took him because by that point I knew I had to. He was so innocent, so perfect. I knew if I left him to his father he would become twisted and dark." Faith paused remembering how beautiful her son looked even as he was covered in blood and mucus.

"Who was his father?"

"He goes by many names and he has wandered the whole world over and has lost all forms of satisfaction with it. He lost himself long before Ammon was born. I lost him when I feel in love. In that time he changed. He became everything I hated, everything he had taught me to hate. I still loved him and when I learned of his loss and his plans I intervened. Ammon's mother begged me to take him, to make sure he didn't turn into his father. So I did. I took him for the sake of his mother, for the friend I had lost, and for my own sake." Pausing Faith took another sip lost for a moment in the memories of a child she had loved with all her heart. "You are right of course. Ammon was Fae and the family was willing to accept him. It was grudgingly done but I know they will accept this new child. That still doesn't stop me from worrying." Another small pause allowed Faith to form her thoughts. "I...sometimes I just can't help but worry that Beatrice will go back to the Fae. I promised that I would let her if that is what she choose to do. Part of me lives in fear that I am not for her. That my love isn't what she needs."

The look of confusion and dejection was enough to make Liam move closer to Faith. Laying a hand lightly across her shoulder he thought of what words he could offer in the way of comfort. "She may not love you in this moment, at this time, but I am sure she will grow to love you Faith. It is nearly impossible for her not to. You are the most loving, warm, and giving person I know. How could she not fall in love with you? You just have to give her time. She is willing to marry you so that has to say something about how she feels." Liam stated the last with a slight lilt.

"I guess it does say something. I do hate feeling like this. I hate doubting her, doubting us. It's not a feeling I am overly familiar with." Finishing up the last of her whiskey she looked at Liam and gave him a slight smirk. "I suppose I just have to have a little faith." Getting up she placed her glass on a separate tray next to the decanters and motioned for Liam to join her. They had a wedding to get to.

Stepping out into the dimming light of sunset Faith looked down the aisle and smiled. The garden was brimming with flowers. The scent of rosemary, roses, lavender and sage permeated the air. Michael had pulled up part of the garden and rearranged it for the sole purpose of Faith getting married. The gazebo was lightly decorated with shear silk, artfully arranged around red and white roses. Walking to the gazebo with Liam at her side Faith turned and looked down the aisle. Her heart beating a little quicker in anticipation of seeing the most beautiful woman walk down to meet her.

The first notes of Adagio for Strings began to play and Faith held her breath. Beatrice stepped out onto the aisle and for a moment Faith swore her heart stopped. Beatrice was decked out in a satiny white dress that hide her now burgeoning baby bump while still hugging all of her delectable curves. Her hair was arranged in ringlets showering down her back with a few curving around her face, framing it perfectly. Keeping her eyes fixed on Beatrice, Faith waited.

In a slow procession Lauren walked down the aisle. She hadn't expected this moment to feel so wonderful. Nor had she in her dreams expected Faith to be the one waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Her few dreams of this day over the last couple of years had involved a different brunette. Giving herself a mental shake Lauren reminded herself that dreams changed. That people changed. The woman at the end of the aisle might not have been the one she had dreamed of but it was the one she wanted.

For all the strangeness of their meeting and the way their relationship had developed, Lauren knew in her heart that she loved Faith. The woman in front of her was warm, loving, considerate, and attentive. Faith went out of her way to make everyone comfortable. She was a leader but she was able to follow, to listen. All the qualities Lauren had ever wanted in a spouse, in a life partner, she had found in Faith. A part of her mourned the death of her old dreams, of her old life, but another part rejoiced at the life she was being given. At the love she was being showered with.

Turning to Faith she smiled hoping to show all the love and joy that overwhelmed her heart. Shifting slightly to they faced the minister.

"Friends and family today we are gathered here to celebrate in the joining of Faith and Beatrice in marriage." The minister paused. " When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. Such is an impossibility, and even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern." Again the minister paused as if to give everyone the chance to think about his words. "Faith and Beatrice have decided to share their own vows."

Turning to look fully at Lauren, Faith smiled. "In every life and in every form I have loved you. I spent years waiting and more searching. I have done my best to always put your needs and your heart before my own. I will always love you, cherish you, and do all that I can to make you happy. Love does grow, ebb, and change but I swear to you that my love will never die. Today in front of all I give you my heart, my love and my solemn oath to be what you need."

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves Lauren cleared her throat. "Faith, I have never been eloquent with words. I have always been a woman of logic and science. My science and my logic can never truly explain why I love you so very much. You have changed my life in ways I never would have expected. You have given me a home, freedom, warmth but mostly importantly you have given me your love. I swear that I will spend the rest of my life making you happy. I will always be there to comfort you, to hold you, and to remind you that you are loved. I will give you my whole being, my whole heart as I know you have given me yours." Lauren stopped her voice catching as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.

Hearing the prolonged pause the minister decided to continue with the ceremony. "Do you Faith, take Beatrice, to be your partner in life and sharing your path; equal in love, a mirror for your true self, promising to honor and cherish, through good times and bad, until death do you part?

"I swear"

"Do you Beatrice, choose Faith to be your partner in life, to support and respect her in her successes and her failures, to care for her in sickness and in health, to nurture her, and to grow with her throughout the seasons of your life together?"

"I do"

"Wedding rings are made precious by our wearing them. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bound together. Let these rings also be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that, despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder, and delight. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here today." The minister motioned for the rings to be brought out. "Faith?"

"With this ring, I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship. With my heart, I thee cherish. Would all that I am, I give unto you. Would all that I have, I share with you. From this day until forever done." Faith slide the platinum ring encrusted with small diamonds onto Laurens finger.

"With this ring, I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship. With my heart, I thee cherish. Would all that I am, I give unto you. Would all that I have, I share with you. From this day until forever done." Lauren softly repeated sliding a engraved platinum ring onto Faith's finger.

"Now by the power invested in me by the state of New York, I pronounce you Wife and Wife. You may now kiss your wife." The minister finished with a smile to the clapping of the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen I give you Mrs. and Mrs. Lehane."


End file.
